The Odds Are Against Us
by blacklotus21
Summary: Sequel to "And Evil Never Beats Us". Steven and the gems struggle to survive as an ancient force reawakens.
1. The Odds Are Against Us

The Odds Are Against Us

 _This can't be happening…_

Steven stared starry-eyed at the poster stuck to the window of the Big Donut. The young gem slowly re-read the colorful display before him, making sure that he wasn't misinterpreting the information in his excitement.

"It…It can't be," he stuttered, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of his newfound discovery. "There are…half-off donuts! Woo-hoo!" The ecstatic boy rushed up to the door of his favorite shop and opened it with his free arm, his smile widening at the _ring-ding_ that announced his arrival. Walking inside, he was greeted by a familiar blonde woman.

"Steven!" Sadie exclaimed, turning her attention from the counter she was cleaning. "How are you?"

"Sadie!" the excited boy replied. "I'm doing great! Especially since the donuts are half-off."

"Haha, yeah" the blonde employee responded. She watched as the enthusiastic young gem walked up to the counter and looked at the myriad sugary pastries, carefully weighing his options. "What can I get you?"

Steven stood and pondered which donuts to select. Finally, he settled on his usual order, plus three croissants for the gems and a spicy pretzel for his dad.

"So, we haven't seen you in a while." Sadie stated as she gathered Steven's order.

"Yeah..." he replied, "…things have been pretty crazy the past few weeks."

The previous two weeks had notably unusual, even by the young gem's standards. After finding Steven unconscious in Beach City, Greg and Connie had rushed him to the hospital, where he had been treated for dehydration and several injuries. Steven woke two days later to find his dad and the gems by his bedside, all of whom were relieved to see that he was alright. The doctor had come and explained to Steven that he had a minor concussion, three broken ribs, and a broken arm, and that he would have to stay at the hospital for a week.

The next seven days had been permeated with overwhelming boredom; bedridden, Steven found a new appreciation for the advent of television and the excitement provided by periodic visits from Connie and his other friends. Finally, the recovering boy had been released from the hospital, under the condition that he remain at home and rest. Upon arriving at Beach City, he was shocked to discover that the residents had collaborated to help rebuild his house. Though many of his possessions had been lost in the assault on the beach, Steven was thankful that his home had returned to relative normalcy. Per the doctor's orders, Steven spent the next week at his newly reconstructed house, resting and hanging out with the gems and his dad. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl had decided postpone some of their missions so they could stay and keep him company. Greg had also temporarily closed the car wash in order to spend the week with Steven; after nearly losing his son twice in the span of a week, the aging musician felt the need to spend some time with him.

That morning, Steven had decided that he felt well enough to leave his house and explore. The recovering gem left early in the morning to take a stroll along the beach. It was a cool, slightly cloudy day, and the seagulls were restless. Steven had enjoyed the cool ocean breeze as he slowly walked along the shore, watching the ebb and flow of the tide. After stopping and sitting on the beach for a few minutes, he decided to go into town.

The young gem wandered aimlessly through the boardwalk, enjoying the bustle of his seaside hometown. As he strolled along, several residents came to greet him and express their relief at his recovery. Their support and kind words served to brighten the young boy's mood and lift his spirits. Continuing his journey, Steven encountered the Big Donut, where he made a wonderful discovery…

"Would you like something to drink with those?"

Sadie's voice pulled Steven's attention back to reality. He looked up to see the friendly woman at the register, holding a brown paper bag.

"No thanks," he replied, smiling. Approaching the counter, Steven handed Sadie several dollars.

"So, when do you get the sling off?" Sadie asked as she counted Steven's change and put it into the bag.

"In a month or so," he responded, taking the bag off the counter with his free arm. "Have a great day!"

"Bye, Steven," Sadie replied, waving as the optimistic boy exited the shop.

Outside, Steven stopped momentarily and looked around the boardwalk, watching as the residents went about their business. Steven quickly checked inside the bag to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Certain that he had what he needed, the young gem turned and started back towards the temple.

Steven hummed a happy tune as he strolled leisurely along the boardwalk. He was glad that the other residents had managed to rebuild the town so quickly. He doubted that anyone would believe that the thriving seaside town had been reduced to rubble a few weeks earlier. Everyone seemed to have recovered from the shock of recent events, and the town had regained its upbeat ambience. Even the gems seemed to be more relaxed than usual. Remembering that his family was waiting for him to return, Steven quickened his pace.

As the cheerful half-gem approached the entrance to his house, he could hear the sounds of his dad's guitar. No matter how often he heard his dad play, it always made him smile. Opening the door, he found him lying on the sofa strumming his beloved instrument, weaving his happiness and peace of mind into a delicate melody which echoed through the small house. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl sat in a circle on the floor, focused on an intense game of cards. Looking up, Greg smiled and put down his guitar.

"Hey, Steven. You got the donuts?"

""Yep," the young boy replied happily, holding up the paper bag for all to see.

"It's about time," Amethyst stated, putting down her hand of cards and standing up. Garnet and Pearl quickly followed suit.

Steven walked over to the coffee table and set down the bag in front of his dad. The friendly musician reached inside the bag, grabbed the spicy pretzel, and took a bite. Amethyst and Garnet each grabbed a croissant and sat down.

"Do you want one, Pearl?" Steven asked, offering her a donut.

"No, thank you," the pale gem replied. At her refusal, Steven took an eager bite out of the delicious pastry and sat down beside his dad. The group sat quietly, enjoying their sweet treats together. Upon finishing his second donut, Steven turned to Amethyst.

"Hey, Amethyst, do you think that the gem will come back?"

"Nah," Amethyst answered. "Didn't you shoot her with a light cannon?"

"Yeah..." Steven replied. "But we couldn't find her afterward."

"That's okay, Steven." Pearl said in an attempt to console her young charge. "We're safe."

"But…what if another gem comes?" Steven asked.

"Don't worry," Garnet answered calmly. "As long as we're together, there's nothing we can't handle."

 _Worlds away…_

Several screens flickered and flashed in the dimly lit room, rapidly displaying disjointed information. A lone gem sat among the luminous displays, watching as data appeared and disappeared in an endless flurry of light. The individual scanned the ephemeral information vigilantly, searching for meaning within the incoherent outputs of the gem technology. Turning her attention away from the arduous task, the gem leaned back and let out an exasperated sigh. None of the information served to alleviate the crushing boredom which hung over her. She wished that something would happen. As if to answer her unspoken desire, the silence in the room was broken by a blue figure standing in the doorway.

"Y-Y-Yellow Diamond?" the blue gem stuttered meekly. The powerful gem leader didn't bother to turn around.

"You better be here to tell me that my scout returned, and that she captured Rose Quartz." Yellow Diamond stated coldly to the blue gem.

"U-Um, actually…" the nervous informant replied, "I-I-I c-came to r-r-report that…well…"

"Tell me," the gem ruler ordered tersely. Her fearful subordinate stepped back before continuing.

"I…came to report that our scout…failed to capture Rose."

"What!" the gem overlord exclaimed.

"She…she encountered Rose, but wasn't able to capture her," the blue gem explained, fear evident in her voice. "Apparently the scout lied about defeating Rose in her report. However, she did manage to…"

"I don't care about what she managed to do," Yellow Diamond stated furiously. "Her mission was to capture Rose and bring her gem here. You _said_ that she 'would be able to complete such a simple mission.' Well, you were _wrong_! She couldn't complete the one task assigned to her! And she didn't have the courage to admit it. This is on _your_ head."

"B-B-But I…" the nervous cerulean gem began.

"When did this information come in?" the gem ruler inquired harshly.

"Two w-w-weeks ago…" the terrified informant stammered.

"Then why didn't I hear about it until now," Yellow Diamond inquired. The cerulean gem took another step back.

"I-I-I thought…" she stammered.

"If I needed someone to think, I wouldn't have asked you." the gem leader commented.

"B-B-B-But…"

"Save your worthless prattle for a gem who cares. Get out of my sight." The gem leader listened as the frantic footsteps disappeared down the hall. When the sounds of the fleeing informant finally faded, Yellow Diamond turned her attention back to the screens before her, watching as more incomprehensible data flickered across the screens. She was utterly sick of her subordinates' incompetence. No matter who she sent, no one seemed to be able to complete a single mission on Earth. Peridot had failed to return with the information she requested. Jasper had failed to return with her technician. And her scout had failed to return with Rose Quartz's gem. All because of a few of Rose's traitorous comrades.

Yellow Diamond was painfully aware of the remnants of Rose's army on Earth. Though she had initially regarded the small group with amusement, they had proven to be excessively troublesome. They had managed to destroy every warp between Earth and Homeworld, and foil every one of her plans. The gem leader was running out of ideas and patience. She had been plotting a way to silence the impudent rebels once and for all, but had failed to come up with a gem capable of executing her plan. She and the other Diamonds could easily do so, but they were currently preoccupied. And no other gems were as powerful as they were.

Yellow Diamond paused.

"There is one gem…" she muttered. The gem leader stood and walked out of the room, leaving the screens to continue their endless task.

Several minutes later, she found herself at the threshold of another room. Yellow Diamond stopped and debated whether or not to enter. Few gems dared to approach the chamber for fear of what lay within. Still, she needed someone who could eliminate the rebels. Steeling her resolve, the gem leader entered the foreboding room.

The scene inside unsettled her. The floor was covered in the shards of destroyed gems which glinted in the dim light. Mementos, weapons, and pieces of gem and human technology hung from the walls, each tarnished by the ravages of war. In the center of the macabre memorial sat a single gem. The figure looked up, causing Yellow Diamond to shudder.

"How nice of you to visit," the ominous gem said, glaring at the planetary overlord. Yellow Diamond looked around the horrifying abode before responding.

"I have a mission for you," the gem leader stated. The mysterious gem smirked at the proposition.

"Oh, so you finally need my help." The foreboding gem drawled sarcastically. "What about your other agents?"

"They proved to be incapable of performing the task I assigned," Yellow Diamond replied, frustration evident in her tone.

"Hm? And what exactly do you need me to do?" the brooding gem queried.

"Rose Quartz and a band of traitors have been hindering our progress on Earth," the gem leader explained.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at taking prisoners," the menacing gem responded, motioning to the gem shards littering the chamber.

"I never said I want Rose _alive_ ," Yellow Diamond responded tersely. The intimidating gem thought once more. After a minute, she stood and looked around her squalid abode. Returning her gaze to the gem leader, she spoke.

"I'll need a ship."


	2. I Don't Want That For You

I Don't Want That For You

 _One month later…_

For the third day in a row, the weather in Beach City was pleasant. It was partly cloudy, and a cool ocean breeze blew through the town. The squawking of the seagulls mingled with the sounds of the busy residents as they wandered about, giving the seaside town a lively ambience. The spirit of the community served to invigorate Connie as she strolled along the boardwalk.

The young girl looked down at the basket in her hand and smiled. After talking to Steven earlier in the week, the pair had agreed to meet up for a picnic by the lighthouse. As her previous attempt to make Steven a picnic had been interrupted, Connie had insisted that she bring the food. She packed three sandwiches, a few pieces of fresh fruit, a couple of juice boxes, and a blanket to sit on, and had decided to stop by the Big Donut to pick up some dessert. Looking up, Connie silently thanked the universe for the beautiful weather. The small beachside town seemed to grow increasingly busy as Connie traveled down the boardwalk. Residents and tourists meandered about, entering and exiting shops in an endless flurry of motion. The lively atmosphere made Connie smile; it was a sharp contrast to the usually quiet suburb that she called home. Upon reaching the Big Donut, Connie slowly opened the door to the small shop, and was quickly greeted by a friendly blonde behind the counter.

"Welcome to the Big Donut!" Sadie said warmly. Recognizing Connie, her expression brightened. "Oh, hey! Good to see you again."

"Thanks," the young girl responded cordially. "You too."

"So, what can I get for you?" the blonde asked, grabbing an empty bag.

"Um, I don't know," Connie replied diffidently. "What does Steven usually get here? We're going to have a picnic, so I decided to stop here to grab something for dessert.

"Say no more," Sadie said, grinning. She quickly walked about the counter, grabbing a few donuts and other pastries and placing them in the bag. After making sure that she was confident of her selection, the friendly blonde handed Connie the bag, who placed it inside her picnic basket.

"What do I owe you?" Connie inquired, reaching for the money in her pocket.

"Nothing," Sadie answered, smiling. "It's on the house."

"Really?" the young girl asked in disbelief. Her thoughts briefly returned to the last time she had received complementary donuts from the shop. She had been fused with Steven at the time.

"Sure," Sadie replied. "With everything you did to help the town, it's the least I can do."

Thanking Sadie for her kindness, Connie quickly exited the shop, checked to make sure she hadn't left anything behind, and looked around to get her bearings. The contented girl stopped momentarily to appreciate the sparkling ocean waves as they crashed against the sandy shore. Eager to reach her destination, Connie turned her attention towards the lighthouse and forged ahead.

As she walked uphill, the cheerful girl briefly wondered what it would be like to live on the beach like Steven. She imagined it would be fun; she would be able to hang out at the beach any time she wanted, and her house would only be a short walk from his. However, the frequent magical occurrences would likely prove to be dangerous, or at least troublesome. Even with her training, Connie knew that there would be some gems that she couldn't handle. If one came to the beach looking for trouble, like the Homeworld gem had several weeks earlier then she would get caught up in the crossfire. She and her parents would be in danger. Connie grimaced at the thought of suffering the same fate Steven had.

Steven's condition during the past few weeks had caused Connie a great deal of distress. Upon learning the extent of his injuries while he was at the hospital, the reality of the situation had shaken her resolve. Though Steven and the gems had managed to combat the alien threat, they had barely managed to survive the brutal encounter. The gems had been defeated multiple times, and Steven had almost been forced to sacrifice himself to save the planet. Connie had come to realize the true magnitude of the threat the Homeworld gems posed to the planet.

As she spent time with Steven in the hospital, Connie's concern about the devastating assault had grown. Watching her normally jocular friend endure a slow and difficult recovery only served to emphasize the extent of the danger he exposed himself to. For all his magical abilities and courage, Steven wasn't invincible. The Homeworld gem had managed to reduce the entirety of Beach City to rubble single-handedly, and had proven to be stronger than Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Steven had barely managed to beat her, and his pyrrhic victory had left him bedridden. Connie worried deeply about the possibility of another attack. What if the next gem was stronger? What if next time, Steven wasn't so lucky…?

Connie sighed and banished the dark thoughts from her mind. Though there were bound to be other gems, Connie figured that Steven and the Crystal Gems could likely handle another attack as long as they worked together.

She hoped that seeing him would help alleviate some of her anxiety. Returning her attention to current events, Connie looked around and realized that she had nearly reached the precipice of the hill where she and Steven agreed to meet. After checking once more to make sure she hadn't dropped anything, the young girl peered up the verdant hill at the lighthouse, but still couldn't see Steven.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, Connie found Steven resting on Lion in the middle of the grass, humming a happy tune. He looked so much better than he had the last time she had visited; aside from a few small bandages, the majority of his injuries had healed. The young gem looked up and gave her an enthusiastic smile.

"Hey, Connie!" the young gem said excitedly.

"Hey, Steven!" Connie replied. The young gem got up and walked over to her. Connie took the blanket out of the basket, and the pair quickly set it up before sitting down. Lion got up, let out a loud yawn, and meandered down the grassy hill, leaving the duo alone.

"How have you been?" Connie asked. Reaching into the basket, she pulled out a sandwich and handed it to Steven, who took an eager bite before responding.

"Good," Steven replied with his mouth full. He took a moment to swallow before continuing. "How about you?"

"I've been fine," Connie responded, rummaging through the parcel for her own sandwich. Finding the elusive item, she closed the basket and turned back to her magical companion, who was thoroughly enjoying his lunch.

"It's good to see you up and about," Connie said cheerfully. She stopped momentarily to enjoy a bite of her lunch. "And you got your cast off!"

"Uh-huh," the young gem answered. "It was really hard to play my ukulele with only one arm. And I couldn't go on missions with the gems. It was pretty boring."

"I bet," Connie chimed in humorously. The paired shared a moment of levity before returning to their lunch. The duo continued their friendly banter as they enjoyed the food and the scenery. The ocean breeze wafted over the hill, adding to the halcyon ambience of the picnic. After finishing the main course, Connie and Steven decided to turn their attention towards the assortment of treats from the Big Donut.

"So, are you excited to start sword training again?" Steven asked as he happily ate his second donut.

"Um, yeah," Connie replied. "It's been a while since I last trained with Pearl."

"Yeah," Steven added with a smile. "You can help us fight gems and monsters and stuff."

The young sword fighter didn't respond. Her expression darkened, and she averted her gaze.

"Connie?" Steven asked, and worried expression replacing his optimistic smile. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

"I…I just…" Connie began. She took a deep breathe. "I'm just worried about all of this. This whole situation with the Homeworld gem really scared me. The whole town was destroyed, and you almost died. More than once. I'm afraid that something else might happen. What if the gem comes back? Or if they send an even more powerful gem to hurt you."

Steven thought for a moment before moving over so that he was sitting beside Connie.

"I know that a lot happened in the past few weeks," he began. "And I know that I was in a lot of danger. But I know that everything will turn out okay as long as we stick together and support one another. I know that Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are here to protect us and the town, and I'm here to help protect them. As long as we are together, we'll be okay. Besides, I don't think there are many gems more powerful than the mysterious one a few weeks ago."

"I guess so…" Connie replied, marveling at Steven's optimistic attitude. Though the prospect of encountering a new enemy still scared her, she found her friend's positive outlook reassuring. The budding swordfighter supposed that Steven was right. The Crystal Gems were capable warriors, and the residents of the town had proven to be extremely resourceful in times of crisis. For the first time since the attack, Connie felt her fears subsiding.

"Steven? Steven! Where are you, dude?"

The duo turned to find Amethyst walking up the hill. Spotting the pair, the purple warrior jogged up to the top and stopped.

"We've been looking for you. We need to go on a mission, and Garnet wants you to come." Amethyst looked over at Connie and smiled. "Good to see you again."

"Hello, Amethyst," the girl replied.

"Okay," Steven answered, standing up and stretching. "Give me a minute to help clean up. I'll meet you at the temple. At Steven's confirmation, Amethyst nodded, turned, and headed back down the hill towards the temple. Steven and Connie quickly put folded the blanket and put everything back in the basket.

"Well, I better get going," Steven stated. "I'll see you next week?"

"Yep," Connie responded, smiling. "Bye, Steven. Good luck on your mission.

"Bye, Connie!" the young gem replied happily. Turning, he jogged down the hill towards the boardwalk.

As Steven made his way towards the temple, he pondered the sudden and urgent nature of Amethyst's interruption. He figured that Garnet knew that he and Connie had a picnic planned (he had been excited about it for the past several days), so her sudden desire for him to join them on a mission unnerved him somewhat. Steven wondered if the mission was something dangerous.

After jogging across the beach, Steven finally reached the entrance to his house. Walking inside, the young gem found his magical caretakers sitting on the couch, conversing quietly. The magical trio turned to him, and Garnet spoke.

"Good to see you, Steven. Get ready. We're leaving.

"I'm ready," the disquieted half-gem replied. He followed the three gems as they each stepped onto the warp pad and prepared to teleport. Without warning, the magical platform activated, transporting the group in a flash of light.

In the warp, Steven looked up at Garnet, who appeared distracted.

"Garnet?" he asked. "Why did you want me to come on the mission?"

"I thought it would be best if we went as a team," the tall gem replied coolly.

With a flash of light, the warp ended, depositing the team in a desolate canyon. Steven looked around at the forsaken location and shuddered. Something about the situation made him nervous.

"So…where are we going?" he asked nervously

"There," Garnet answered. Steven turned. A massive, dark cave entrance loomed before him.

"There?" he asked nervously.

"Alright gems, let's go," Garnet said, advancing towards the ominous entrance. Steeling his resolve, Steven followed the crimson leader as she advanced slowly towards the cave. Stopping at the threshold of the mysterious cavern, Steven took a deep breath and entered the darkness.


	3. Beyond Your Star

Beyond Your Star

"Wow, it's so shiny…"

Steven stood and stared in awe at the massive crystalline stalagmite before him. The massive gem emitted a bright yellow glow, bathing the cavern in golden light. The amazed boy looked around at the numerous crystals with stars in his eyes. Despite his initial apprehension, he had been quickly enthralled by the beauty of the mysterious cave.

"Steven, let's go!" a voice in front of him ahead of him.

"Coming, Pearl!" he responded. Turning away from the marvelous stones, he jogged up to the pale gem, who was helping Amethyst and Garnet examine the cave.

"So, why are we here again?" Steven asked, looking around the large cavern. "Is it a corrupted gem? A gem experiment? Ancient gem technology? Is Lapis back?"

"We're not quite sure what we're looking for, though I don't think it's Lapis." Pearl answered. "All we know is that a few hours ago, we sensed some sort of energy emanating from this cave. We're not sure what's causing it, or why it only just now appeared."

"Still, we need to find it and contain it," Garnet chimed in. "It might be dangerous."

"So that means…we're on a magical treasure hunt!" Steven said excitedly. "This is going to be awesome!"

"Yeah!" Amethyst added with a smile. "C'mon, super-sleuth, let's go find magical treasure!" The purple gem picked up her excited charge and dashed deeper into the cave, ignoring Pearl's frantic warnings as they grew increasingly faint. After running through several tunnels, the pair emerged in a small chamber covered in small, glowing crystal shards. Carefully putting Steven down, Amethyst examined her newly discovered surroundings.

"So, what should we do, Steven?" she asked. The half-gem stopped and pondered the situation.

"Um, maybe we should search for clues," he answered. The young gem walked over to one of the walls and examined the rock face, looking for anything unusual. His search yielded no results, and after checking half of the cave, the enthusiastic boy turned and walked back over to his violet companion, whose search was also proving fruitless.

"Found anything yet?" Steven asked. Amethyst turned to him and shrugged.

"Nothing yet," she responded.

"Still, these crystals are really cool," the young gem chimed, motioning to the luminous rocks. "I really like how they're different colors. Hey, look, that one's the same color as you!" Amethyst turned to look at the violet stalagmite and chuckled.

"Can we take one home?" Steven asked hopefully.

"Eh, you should ask Garnet. But let's keep looking. The faster we find this thing, the faster we get back home. I'm hungry."

"We could go to Fish Stew Pizza!" Steven suggested.

"I'm in!" Amethyst responded as she continued her search. Turning his attention to the task at hand, the young half-gem walked over to the far wall and continued to look for anything unusual. The light of crystals seemed to pulse in time to an inaudible rhythm, giving the small chamber an unearthly ambience. Steven resolved to take Connie with him the next time he visited the location. It seemed relatively safe, and he knew she would love the beautiful light show generated by the luminous rock formations. He continued to look around the small chamber for any sign of the gem artifact, his apprehension growing as he searched. Suddenly, something unusual caught his eye. He stopped and stared at what appeared to be a small indentation in one of the cave walls. The young gem cautiously approached the anomaly, looking around for any sign of trouble.

Upon reaching the wall, Steven realized that what he believed to be an indentation was, in fact, the entrance to another tunnel. Examining his surroundings once more, he carefully entered the mysterious pathway. As he continued his journey, the crystals around him seemed to dim, basking the tunnel in an ominous light. Despite his fear, the brave boy pressed forward, determined to discover what was at the other end of the passage. The mysterious tunnel winded and spiraled for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Steven encountered a rock wall that prevented him from continuing his journey.

"Aw, it's a dead end." The young boy stated disappointedly. As he was about to turn back, he noticed an odd pattern on the bottom of the rock. Steven knelt down to examine the unusual markings. Suddenly, he heard Amethyst's voice echoing through the tunnel.

"Yo, Steven! Where did you go?"

"I'm down here!" he yelled, not turning his attention from the unusual marks in the stone. After a minute, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl joined him, each wielding their weapon.

"There you are!" Pearl exclaimed, releasing her spear. "You shouldn't run off like that! What if something happens?"

"But look what I found," Steven replied, motioning to the odd pattern on the rock. Pearl leaned down and examined the unusual markings.

"This is strange…I think someone moved this rock to block the tunnel," the pale warrior explained. "Maybe the gem is behind the rock."

"Move," Garnet asserted tersely. Pearl quickly moved out of the way of her leader, who walked up to the stone and summoned her gauntlets. Drawing back, Garnet swung at the wall with tremendous force, shattering the obstacle and revealing what appeared to be the entrance to another chamber.

"Sweet! A secret room!" Steven exclaimed, grinning widely. The adventurous young gem ran towards the entrance until he reached the threshold of the hidden chamber. Suddenly, something caught his eye. He stopped, and his grin faded. A stark-white skull stared back at him, its mocking death-mask silhouetted in the faint light of the crystals.

"Ah!" the startled boy exclaimed, jumping back several feet. The gems rushed up to meet him, only to gaze out at the vast cavern before them. Regaining his composure, Steven nervously walked to the entrance and looked into the cavern. He struggled to comprehend the scene before him.

The chamber was littered with the remains of humans, many clad in ancient armor and armed with weaponry from ages past. The skeletons were strewn about the chamber haphazardly; many clung to the walls or crystals in a macabre dance, while others lay on the ground, their final moments frozen in time. The floor of the chamber shimmered like the night sky; countless shining objects covered the stone, glinting in the light of the crystals. Pearl took several slow steps forward in order to better see the mysterious items. Upon recognizing them, she gasped and brought her hand up to her mouth in shock.

"Those…are…the shards of destroyed gems." The pale gem stated in disbelief. "This place is a mass grave!" Behind her, Steven shuddered. Noticing something at the far end of the cavern, the terrified boy slowly plodded through the dark tomb, being careful not to disturb the remains. Finally reaching the object, he knelt down and picked up the item.

"Hey, guys," the frightened gem called to his companions. He carefully walked back to the gems and held out his discovery for them to see.

The object in question was a small, pink, tattered banner. A vine symbol extended from each of the flag's corners, connecting to a rose-shaped insignia in the middle of the flag.

"It's…your mother's flag…" Pearl stated, struggling to comprehend the reality of the situations. "These were…Crystal Gems. They fought alongside us during the war."

"G-g-g-guys, I'm s-s-scared," Steven stammered, huddling close to Garnet.

"Alright, gems," the crimson leader stated, "what we're looking for it probably in this cave. Let's find it and get out of here. Stay together!" Each of the four gems summoned their weapons and pressed further into the subterranean tomb, huddling close to one another.

The team of Crystal gems slowly advanced through the mass of human and gem remains, searching for any sign of their unknown objective. As they encountered more caves filled with corpses, the gems became increasingly unsettled. Finally, the group noticed a small object glowing among the dead.

"Hey, look!" Amethyst exclaimed. "That must be it!" The group sprinted to the glowing item and stopped. Dispelling her spear, Pearl leaned over and picked it up. The gem was shaped like a pyramid. Each of its faces was engraved with illegible script that shone with an otherworldly blue glow. The light pulsated at a constant interval like a beating heart.

"This is it," the pale warrior stated with a sigh of relief. She carefully looked over the small triangular gem, examining the incomprehensible glowing glyphs on the sides. After deciding that she would not be able to discern the nature of the gem, Pearl quickly bubbled it and sent it back to the temple.

"What was that?" Steven inquired, looking up at her.

"I don't know, Steven," she answered, her mind preoccupied.

"It was weird," Amethyst added. "But now we can go home!"

"Let's head back," Garnet stated. At her assertion, the group turned and began their journey back to the warp pad.

As they walked, Steven couldn't help but stare at the torn banner he carried. The ghastly discovery he had unearthed deeply disturbed him. He wondered how that many humans and gems could have died in a cave. He doubted that they had been trapped. Very few of the remains had been near the entrance. Many of them had been huddled against the walls, as if cowering. Turning to Garnet, he voiced his concerns.

"What do you think caused this?" he asked.

"I can't say," the gem leader replied calmly. "All we know is they didn't want anyone getting inside the cave." Steven turned his attention forward once again, countless unanswered questions floating in his mind. Finally, the group reached the entrance to the cave. Stepping out into the bleak canyon, Steven shielded his eyes from the glaring light of the setting sun. The group walked over to the warp pad and prepared to warp home.

Back in the temple, Steven handed the old banner over to Pearl and lay down on his bed, trying to digest the mortifying mission he had just endured. He heard footsteps on the stairs, and looked up to see Amethyst standing beside his bed, staring at him.

"Sooo…you still wanna get pizza?" she asked with a small smile.

"No thanks," he replied. "I kinda lost my appetite."

"Eh, suit yourself," the purple warrior answered. "I'm gonna go get some food." Steven laid back down and listened to Amethyst's footsteps as they slowly walked down the stairs and out the front door. Letting out a deep sigh, Steven sat up and stared out his window at the tumultuous tide. Suddenly, a disturbing thought came to him. Getting up, Steven strolled down stairs and over to Garnet, who was sitting on the couch.

"Hey Garnet?" The calm leader turned to address her young charge.

"You remember how you said they sealed off the cave because they didn't want anyone getting in?" The crimson gem gave a small nod in acknowledgement.

"Well," he continued, "what if that's not true? What if they weren't trying to stop something from getting in? What if they were actually trying to stop something from getting _out_?" Garnet didn't reply. Her silence unnerved him.

 _Later…_

No matter how Steven tried, he couldn't seem to fall asleep. He couldn't get the thought of the terrifying cave out of his head. The mass of dead bodies haunted him. Sitting up in bed, Steven quickly looked at his alarm clock, and then out at the beach. Squinting, he noticed the silhouette of a figure in the moonlight. The nervous young gem got out of bed, put on his sandals, and walked outside.

Steven quietly slogged through the sand, being careful not to startle the mysterious figure. The figure remained perfectly still as he approached, not even turning to address him. Finally, Steven recognized who it was.

"Pearl?" The pale gem turned to face him, looking over the tired boy.

"What are you doing out here?" Steven asked. Ignoring his question, she began to slowly walk towards him, a blank expression on her face.

"Pearl? Pearl? Are you okay?" The tranquil warrior continued to silently advance towards her increasingly concerned charge.

"If this is a joke, then I don't…"

Without warning, Pearl surged forward and lunged violently at Steven.


	4. Tear Us Apart

Tear Us Apart

A surprised yell pierced the silence on the beach. The source of the sound dashed frantically through the sand, followed closely by an unrelenting assailant.

Steven looked back at Pearl, who was rapidly gaining on him, and let out another frightened cry. Noticing the boardwalk in the distance, the terrified boy quickly changed direction and ran towards the edge of the town.

"Pearl? What's going on?" he asked, turning his head to look at the gem tirelessly pursuing him. "Why are you chasing me? Did I do something wrong?" The pale gem responded by increasing her pace.

"Please stop!" Steven continued desperately, his voice wavering. "I don't want to play Steven tag right now! This isn't funny!"

The nimble gem lunged, barreling into her young charge and sending him sprawling across the sand. The half-gem quickly recovered and continued to run, fear fueling his stamina. Pearl followed closely after him. As he ran, Steven frantically wondered why she was trying to catch him. He quickly considered the possibility that she was trying to say something, but just as rapidly dismissed the notion. If she was trying to communicate, she would have spoken up. Steven knew his pale caretaker to be the most articulate of the team. Her unnatural silence perplexed him.

Reaching the edge of the boardwalk, Steven sprinted into the middle of the town. He briefly looked behind him, only to find his curiously traitorous caretaker mere inches away. The young gem veered to his right and ducked into an alleyway in an attempt to escape his attacker. He heard the sound of soft footsteps, and held his breath as Pearl passed him. Huddling close to the wall of the building, Steven listened as the sounds of the pale gem's movement grew increasingly faint. Finally confident that he was safe, he emerged from his hiding place and looked around the street for any sign of his former ally. Not wanting to stay out in the open, the worried gem slowly started down the darkened street.

The frightened boy considered his options as he stealthily traveled through the quiet town. He knew that his dad was nearby, but didn't want to put him in danger. He decided that it would be best for him to return to the temple, where Amethyst and Garnet could protect him. Still, Steven knew that by going back there he risked encountering Pearl again. Weighing his options carefully, he decided to take his chances and return home. Looking around, Steven noticed that he was near the base of the hill that led to the lighthouse.

"I can just go around the hill past the Big Donut," the young gem thought aloud.

Keeping low as not to attract unwanted attention, he slowly passed the massive hill, vigilant for any sign of Pearl. The area seemed safe, but Steven knew that his former ally could be extremely quiet and nimble. Thankful for the cover of night, he hastily made his way to the Big Donut. Pressing his back against the window of the shop to remain concealed, the young gem inched towards the beach. A small noise from above caused him to look up at the large donut sign. Pearl stood atop the structure, glaring down at her prey.

The maddened gem jumped and tackled Steven, slamming him against the pavement. He struggled under her weight, trying frantically to escape. Pearl shifted her grip, clutching her young charge's neck viciously. Steven thrashed about, trying desperately to loosen her hold. Darkness began to play on the edges of his vision as, and his strength began to fail. Realizing that a violent approach was his only option, the terrified gem summoned his shield and swung his arm, bludgeoning his attacker with the pink weapon. Pearl reeled back briefly, dazed by the unexpected maneuver. Seizing the opportunity, Steven got to his feet and dashed towards the beach. His assailant quickly recovered and took off after him.

"Tell me why you're doing this!" Steven pleaded as he ran towards the sand. Pearl failed to acknowledge him.

"I just don't understand what I did to upset you!" he continued. "You normally want to protect me and make sure that I'm safe! But now you're trying to hurt me! Is it…because you miss mom? Is it my fault she's gone? I don't understand!"

The young gem continued to run through the sand as he fled his unyielding ally, barely managing to remain out of reach. Pearl continued her unprovoked pursuit along the beach, showing no sign of stopping. The pale gem caught up to Steven and swung at him. Whirling around, the fleeing boy parried the attack with his shield without breaking stride. Turning his attention forward once again, Steven noticed that he was almost back to the temple. The young gem broke into a sprint, hoping to avoid Pearl's seemingly unwarranted attacks. However, the maddened gem lunged at her young charge, swinging madly. He managed to block the attack, but the force of the blow caused him to stumble. Unable to regain his momentum while evading the pale gem's furious assault, Steven decided he needed to make a stand. He stopped running and turned to face his pursuer.

"Stop!" he yelled urgently. "You need to tell me what's wrong! I can't help if I don't know what the problem is!" Pearl responded by lunging at him once again. Steven sidestepped the attack and swung with his shield. Shifting her weight, Pearl evaded the strike and swept with her leg, catching Steven. The young boy fell into the sand with a surprised yelp. He looked up to find his pale caretaker trying to tackle him. Steven rolled out of the way of the attack and managed to stand up again. Making use of the window of opportunity, he turned and dashed down the beach.

After an exhausting sprint, Steven finally reached the end of the beach where his house was located. Not wanting to engage Pearl, the exhausted gem jogged over to the wall of the temple and pressed his back against the ancient stone in an attempt to avoid being detected. The young gem took several deep breaths, somewhat relieved to be close to the other gems. He knew that if he could reach his house, he would be safe. However, he was getting tired, while Pearl had managed to maintain her furious pace for the duration of the arduous pursuit. Steven stopped and considered whether or not he should sprint for his house or wait. He was almost certain that Pearl would catch him if he tried to run for it. Still, he knew that she would likely find him if he lingered too long. The frightened boy could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he frantically tried to formulate a plan to escape. Without warning, a voice pierced the silence.

"Steven?" the young gem turned to find Pearl staring at him, a perplexed look plastered on her face. "What are you doing out…"

"Aaah!" he replied, moving from the cliff wall and backed away from the pale gem. Tripping, Steven stumbled backwards, falling into the cool sand. He continued to retreat from his caretaker as she slowly approached him.

"Steven, what's wrong? Are you okay? She slowly walked over to the terrified boy and knelt down beside him.

"Y-y-y-you a-a-attacked me," he stated with tears in his eyes.

"What?" Pearl asked, giving him a confused look.

 _The next morning_ …

The tension in the house was palpable. The four gems sat on the couch, save Amethyst, who was sprawled out on the floor.

"So she attacked you?" Garnet asked, looking at the pale gem beside her.

"Yeah," Steven answered. I saw her on the beach, and all of a sudden she tried to hurt me!"

"I swear I would never hurt you, Steven. I haven't seen you since we got back from the mission. I was just taking a walk on the beach when I found you. Are you sure you weren't having a weird dream?

"If I was having a dream, what caused this?" the worried gem asked, motioning to his bandaged left arm. "I know it was real."

"But…I…just…" Pearl started, looking at Steven guiltily. "I can't believe this...why don't I remember?"

"This is really weird," Amethyst stated as she walked to the fridge to grab a snack. "Hey, Steven, you want something to eat?"

"No thanks," he replied.

"I don't know what's going on," Garnet began, "but this is dangerous. Until we figure out what caused this, you should stay in the temple."

"But Garnet," Pearl retorted, "I…"

"You can't be trusted to come on missions with us," the gem leader interrupted. "You pose a threat to our team, and especially to Steven." She looked down at the young half-gem, who was looking nervously at Pearl.

"We'll figure out what caused this," he said hopefully, "and then you can come with us on missions again." Pearl hesitated before responding.

"Okay, then," she said forlornly. "Just be careful. And make sure Steven stays out of trouble." Without another word, the pale gem got up and walked to the entrance to the temple. Using her gem to access her room, Pearl walked inside the massive chamber. The inter-dimensional door closed behind her, leaving Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven alone. The trio sat quietly for several minutes before Garnet broke the silence.

"Alright, gems," she stated coolly, "let's go. We have a mission to complete."

"Where are we going?" Steven asked as he followed his companions to the warp pad.

"The desert," Garnet replied tersely.

"Is it a gem creature?" Steven inquired.

"Yep," answered Amethyst, smiling. "Ready to go?"

"I suppose," the young half-gem responded, his usual excitement dampened by recent events. The warp pad activated, transporting the trio in a flash of blue light.

Upon arriving, Steven stepped off the warp pad and surveyed his surroundings. The sun was concealed by the clouds, casting a shadow over the massive pile of ruined pillars and stone before him.

"Wow," Steven said, gazing out at the ancient structures. "What is this place?"

"This was the communications hub that Peridot used to contact the Homeworld." Garnet replied. Realization dawned on Steven, and he smiled.

"Oh yeah," Steven said. "I remember this place! This is where you and Pearl fused into Sardonyx…" His smile faded. "…and then you guys wouldn't talk to each other."

"Yep," Amethyst chimed in. "And then me and Garnet fused and wrecked the place.

"There's a gem here?" the magical boy asked, looking around the barren landscape. "How did it even get here?" There's nothing around for miles."

"Don't ask me," Amethyst replied. "I'm just here for the action. The purple warrior jogged overt to the massive pile of rubble and stopped, looking over the wreckage for anything unusual, but found nothing. She jumped on top of the rubble and repeated the process, with similar results. Steven followed Garnet as she checked the perimeter of the rubble. Despite their best efforts, the exhaustive search of the area yielded no gem monster. Disappointed by their lack of progress, the trio regrouped.

"Did you find anything, Garnet?" asked Amethyst.

"No," the gem leader answered coldly.

"Yeah, us neither," Steven added. Suddenly, an idea came to him. "Hey, what if it's hiding _in_ the rubble? We should check it out. You're probably too tall to fit, Garnet. How about Amethyst and I go and look, and you guard the warp pad in case it comes out." The crimson gem considered his statement before nodding in agreement. At Garnet's affirmation, Steven and Amethyst looked at one another briefly, then turned and headed into the pile of rubble.

Steven slowly searched within the stack of stone. The massive mountain was eerily silent. A few rays of light filtered through the top of the pile, illuminating the crevice he was exploring. As he continued to slog through the wreckage, the adventurous gem couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. Suddenly, a small sound echoed through the cavern. Steven turned to see a pair of eyes glowing in the darkness.


	5. No Help

No Help

Steven stood frozen, fearful of the unknown creature concealed in the darkness. Its two glowing eyes pierced the shadowy veil, gazing at the scared boy emotionlessly. Slowly, the mysterious being began to slowly advance towards its visitor. Steven retreated, careful not to make any sudden movements. The terrified boy passed under a hole in the rubble canopy, and looked up at the sunlight filtering into the chamber. He quickly considered attempting to escape through the opening, but knew that he wouldn't be able to reach it in time. He returned his attention to the silent creature, which continued to approach him. As the figure passed under the light, Steven was finally able to make out its features.

The gem creature looked like a massive, brown gecko, with yellow lines running from its tail to its forehead. Its toes ended in massive, pointed claws which gleamed in the light. In the middle of its head sat a large, smooth orange stone. Its glowing eyes, devoid of pupils, remained fixated on the half-gem as it silently drew closer to him, its intentions unknown. Finally, the fearful child lost his nerve.

"Amethyst!" he cried out. "Help!" At his exclamation, the creature let out a threatening hiss and lunged at him. Steven managed to avoid the unexpected attack, landing roughly in the sand. Quickly recovering, he sprinted towards the exit. Without warning, something hit him from behind, slamming him to the ground. The young gem turned to see the lizard-like monster on the other side of the chamber. The creature drew its head back slightly. Lurching forward, the corrupted gem shot a massive blast of sand at Steven. The attack hit him directly, throwing him against the wall of rubble. The creature fired another shot, but the half-gem managed to roll out of the way. He quickly got to his feet and summoned his shield, assuming a fighting stance. The creature continued to fire blasts of sand in rapid succession; keeping a steady stance, Steven managed to deflect the attacks. The determined boy started to advance towards the furious gem creature, blocking and evading the flurry of sand hurdling towards him. Finally, the corrupted gem stopped its relentless assault. Seizing the opportunity, Steven surged forward. Much to his dismay, the gem quickly burrowed into the sand, leaving the startled boy alone in the dark chamber.

Steven backed up slowly, looking around for any sign of the creature. His heart thumped in his chest, and his breaths were rapid and short. The frightened gem whirled around abruptly, holding his shield in front of him. The only sounds in the dimly lit space were his footfalls in the sand and his erratic breathing. Slowly the young boy's anticipation gave way to fear. A small sound behind him caught his attention. Steven turned just in time to see the corrupted gem flying towards him. The creature barreled into Steven, forcing him into the sand. The surprised half-gem struggled under the creature's weight, desperately trying to escape. The creature leaned forward and slashed at him with its claws. Steven managed to narrowly block the vicious attack with his shield. The lizard-like gem continued its furious attack, wearing away at the small half-gem's defenses. Letting out a loud hiss, the gem drew back, preparing to drown its prey in sand. Taking advantage of the opening, Steven swung his arm in a wide arc, slicing at the creature with the edge of his shield. Much to his surprise, the weapon cut into the creature's neck. The corrupted gem reeled back, sand spraying from the wound, and let out a loud screech. Steven regained his footing and rushed at the gem with his shield, forcing it into the sand. Worried that it might escape, the young warrior thrust the edge of his shield into the gem's underbelly and began to apply pressure. The creature's screech intensified as the shield pushed deeper into its body. Finally, the gem monster disappeared in a puff of dust, and its gem fell silently into the sand. Releasing his shield, Steven sat down and waited for his heart to stop pounding. Catching his breath, the small boy got up and walked over to the orange stone glimmering in the sand. He quickly picked it up, bubbled it, and sent it back to the temple.

"Whew," he exclaimed, smiling. "That…was close. Well, I better head back. I bet the others are worried." The young gem was about to leave when a noise stopped him. He turned to see a figure silhouetted in the darkness.

"Hello?" he called, his voice wavering. The figure slowly advanced towards him. As the mysterious figure stepped into the light, Steven eyes widened in realization, and he smiled.

"Oh, hey Amethyst!" he said happily. "You scared me there!" The purple gem walked up to him and looked around the silent cavern.

"I found the gem!" he continued. "It was like a giant lizard that could shoot sand and burrow underground. It was really sneaky, and it tackled me, but I was able to poof it and send it back to the temple! I tried to call you, but you didn't answer. What were you…" The excited half-gem was cut off when Amethyst moved behind him, clamped her hand over his mouth, and wrapped her other arm around his neck. Tightening her grip, the purple warrior began to choke her young charge.

"Mmmphh! Mmph!" Steven cried as he struggled to escape from his companion's grip. The purple warrior leaned back slightly, lifting him a few inches off the ground. Much to his dismay, Steven began to feel lightheaded. Amethyst remained silent as she continued to suffocate the terrified child. As dizziness began to overtake the young gem, a surge of adrenaline rushed through him. Thrashing vigorously, Steven managed to escape the crazed gem's grip. He landed in the sand and took a deep breath, hoping that his dizziness would subside. Standing up, he swayed to the side just in time for Amethyst to lunge past him, missing her target by inches. Steven quickly summoned his shield and assumed a tenuous fighting stance. Turning to face him, Amethyst summoned her weapon.

"Amethyst?" Steven asked fearfully. "Not you too!" The purple warrior responded by swinging her whip. The weapon lashed across the half-gem's shield. Spinning around, Amethyst swung again, skimming the sand as she tried to hit her young charge. He rolled, narrowly evading the attack. Steven quickly recovered, parrying another attack, and dashed towards the exit.

"What did I do?" he cried frantically. "Please stop!" His purple assailant failed to acknowledge his fearful inquiry. Suddenly, something caused the young gem to stumble and fall headlong into the sand. Steven turned to find his former ally's whip coiled around his leg. The desperate boy struggled to free himself, but to no avail. Swinging her weapon, Amethyst hurled Steven into a piece of stone. He hit the wall roughly, letting out a pained groan. As he shakily got to his feet, a flash of pain flared in his ankle, causing him to stumble. The half-gem looked up to see Amethyst lunging at him. Ducking, he managed to narrowly evade the attack. Not waiting for his unexpected attacker to recover, Steven limped towards the entrance to the pile. The young gem exited the ruins and looked over at the warp pad.

"Garnet!" he screamed "Help!" The red gem turned, and began running towards him. Turning around, Steven saw Amethyst lingering in the entrance of the pile. The purple gem glared at him silently before retreating into the darkness.

"Steven?" The shaken boy turned to see Garnet kneeling beside him, a look of concern plastered on her face. "What happened? Did you find the gem?"

"Y-yeah," he replied, nursing his injured ankle. "I poofed it and sent it back to the temple. But Amethyst went crazy and attacked me, just like Pearl. I barely got away."

"Where did she go?" Garnet queried as she carefully picked up Steven.

"She's in the pile," he answered, looking at the looming structure apprehensively. As if on cue, the purple warrior emerged, looking around the site.

"Hey, guys, what's happening?" the nonchalant gem asked. Upon seeing the duo, her eyes widened. She quickly rushed over to Steven, who pressed his head into Garnet's shoulder to ease his nerves. "Are you okay? You look beat."

"You…tried to hurt me. Just like Pearl. I tried to talk to you, but you didn't hear me." Amethyst stared at him in disbelief.

"No way…that's not…I…"

"Amethyst," Garnet interjected tersely. "We should get Steven home. We'll discuss this back at the temple." The purple gem gave a curt nod in response, and the trio traveled back to the warp pad.

Back in Beach City, Amethyst decided to take a walk through the town in order to clear her head. The purple warrior was thoroughly disturbed by her young charge's account of her behavior, a feeling which was further exacerbated by the apparent harm she had caused him. Though Steven's physical injuries were minor, the evident trauma she had inflicted him weighed heavily on the purple gem's conscious. Even more terrifying was the nature of her unwarranted bout of madness, and her inability to recall the incident. Amethyst wondered what could have caused the same reaction in both her and Pearl. Why they had both attacked Steven? And why didn't she remember it at all? Whatever caused it, she hoped that Garnet and Steven would be able to find it and deal with it. Looking around, the purple warrior decided to return to the temple. She turned on her heel and started her journey back to the beach.

Upon entering the beach house a few minutes later, Amethyst found Steven resting on the couch, a fresh bandage on his ankle. Garnet sat beside him, lost in thought. At the purple gem's intrusion, Steven looked up at her and gave a half-hearted smile.

"You're back," he said, his tone notably less enthusiastic than normal.

"Yeah," she replied. Walking over to the couch, the usually carefree warrior sat down on the floor across from Garnet. The gem leader watched as her nervous comrade shifted her position several times before finally settling down. Sensing the tension in the room, Steven broke the silence.

"So, the gem monster was pretty cool. It was like giant lizard that shot sand from its mouth. It also had these giant claws and could burrow like a mole. I think it made the cave under the rubble."

"Cool," replied Amethyst, her gaze fixed on Garnet. Seeing that his attempt to lighten the mood had failed, Steven fell silent. The room remained uncomfortably quiet until Amethyst finally voiced their collective concern.

"So, what do we do about me?"

"You should stay in the temple," Garnet asserted. "We don't know what's causing this. Until we do…"

"I know," Amethyst interjected dejectedly. "I'm putting Steven in danger."

"It's okay," Steven said, giving his purple caretaker a sympathetic smile. "We'll figure this out in no time."

"Yeah, okay." Amethyst replied. Without another word, she got up, walked to the entrance to the temple, and entered her room.

Garnet watched the inter-dimensional door seal behind her comrade. After a few seconds, the crimson fusion turned her attention to Steven, who was staring at her with a worried look.

"Garnet, I'm starting to get worried about this," the young gem stated, looking down at his injured ankle. "I know that we deal with magic stuff all the time, but I don't feel safe with Amethyst and Pearl attacking me. They were acting really weird, as if they were brainwashed or something. What do you think is going on with them? Is there anything we can do?" The gem leader silently pondered the perplexing situation. Something about the whole situation unnerved her. Unanswered questions echoed in her mind. Why didn't the others remember? Why did this suddenly start? Who fixed the warp pad at the communication hub`? Garnet let out a sigh.

She knew something was very wrong…


	6. Amalgam

Amalgam

 _A few days later…_

The late morning found Steven plodding casually down the beach with a freshly baked pizza. The optimistic boy hummed a tune as he made his way back to the temple, eager to partake in his delicious boon. Earlier that morning, Garnet had left for a mission into unknown territory to find a gem artifact. Steven had pleaded with the crimson fusion to let him go, but she had vehemently resisted on the grounds that the task was too dangerous. However, she had explained that when she returned, the gems were going to hold a team meeting to discuss the recent attacks on Steven. Excited that he would get to see Amethyst and Pearl again, the young boy had decided to surprise his magical caretakers by bringing in pizza. He had left for Fish Stew Pizza an hour ago. Despite being ambushed and relentlessly questioned by Ronaldo about the Homeworld gem responsible for the destruction of the town, Steven had managed to reach the small restaurant and acquire a large cheese pizza. His vital mission complete, the small gem had quickly traveled through the town towards the beach, careful to avoid Ronaldo.

The past few days had proceeded without incident. He and Connie had met at the hill outside Beach City and had a picnic. The pair had brought their instruments and played for hours. The next day, Steven had spent the entire day at the carwash with his dad. The young gem was thankful that he could see him; recent events had given him a newfound appreciation for the time he could spend with his family. Also, since his mission in the desert, none of the gems had gone crazy and tried to attack him. Though he hadn't actually seen Amethyst or Pearl since their outbursts, Garnet still appeared to be acting normally. For what must have been the hundredth time that week, Steven pondered what could have caused the unusual behavior in his friends. He briefly recounted the frightening and unwarranted attacks on his person. Steven couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something. He felt as if some small fact was eluding his notice. It bothered him.

Finally, the young boy reached the stairs which led to his house. Eager to get back inside, he rushed up to the front door and stopped to shake some sand out of his flip-flops. Entering the house, Steven was surprised to find the three gems standing around the kitchen counter quietly.

"Oh, there you are, Steven," Pearl said. "We were wondering where you went."

"Sorry," he replied. "I wanted to surprise you guys, so I went and got a pizza! I didn't know what toppings you all liked, so I just got cheese. Hey, Garnet, how was your mission?"

"Good," the red gem responded tersely. "I managed to locate and retrieve the artifact."

"Alright, pizza!" Amethyst exclaimed enthusiastically. "You da man, Steven!" The young gem grinned widely at the purple warrior's encouragement.

"Alright, gems," Garnet interrupted. "Now that we're all here we need to discuss the insanity." The mood in the room instantly grew serious.

"What do you think is causing this?" Steven inquired before grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a bite. "And why isn't it affecting you, Garnet?" The red gem thought for a moment.

"I don't know," she answered. "Even with my future vision, I can't see what's causing it."

"Do you think it has something to do with the artifact we found in the cave?" Pearl asked.

"Possibly," Garnet replied, watching Steven as he happily devoured his second slice of pizza. "We can't be certain."

"But how would it be doing that?" Steven mumbled between bites.

"I have no idea," Pearl responded. "We've never seen anything like it before. And we have no idea who it belonged to."

"Still…" Steven started. He stopped and swallowed his mouthful before continuing. "Why doesn't it affect you, Garnet? Do you think it's because you're a fusion?"

"Maybe it's like mind-control," Amethyst suggested, grabbing a slice of pizza. "That would explain why we didn't remember anything afterwards.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain why Garnet hasn't been controlled by…whatever it is that's causing this." Pearl asserted.

"Well, maybe it's because it can only control one mind at a time," Amethyst retorted. "That's why it can't control Garnet. Since she's a fusion, she has more than one 'mind'. So it can't control her like it did us!"

"That would make sense," Garnet contributed, looking around the room. "If so, you two should be safe to come on missions as long as you are fused."

"But why didn't it affect me?" Steven asked as he took his fourth slice of pizza.

"That could be because you're part human," Pearl offered. "Maybe it can only affect full gems."

"We don't know if any of this is true," Garnet stated coolly. "We need to be on our guard. If you see anyone acting unusual, including each other, be careful. This insanity has proven to be very dangerous."

"Alright," Steven answered determinedly. "I'll look out for any weird behavior around Beach City."

"You should go ask Ronaldo," Amethyst joked. "He would know all about 'weird' stuff." At this, the magical group shared a laugh. After the mirth died down, the four gems sat quietly, enjoying the rare halcyon moment. Suddenly, Garnet stood up and adjusted her shades.

"I sense something…" she stated.

"What is it?" Pearl queried worriedly.

"A gem." the gem leader replied. "A powerful one. Pearl, come with me. I'll need your help to capture it."

"But didn't you say it wasn't safe unless we fused?" the pale gem asked.

"That's what we're going to do," the gem leader answered.

"Are you two going to become a giant woman?" Steven inquired, barely containing his excitement.

"Yes, Steven," Pearl responded.

"Ooh, can I come?" Steven begged, looking over at Garnet with starry eyes. "Please? I want to see Sardonyx again!" The red gem considered his request briefly before answering.

"Alright, you can come. But stay close to us. We don't know what this gem is capable of.

"Okay, let's go then," the young boy stated excitedly before pausing and turning towards Amethyst. "Are you coming?"

"Nah, you guys got this," the purple warrior responded. "Think I'll just stay here and finish this pizza."

"Okay, then," Steven said. Without another word, the eager half-gem ran over to the warp pad, where Garnet and Pearl were waiting for him. He stepped onto the magical platform, and the trio vanished in a flash.

When the warp ended, Steven found himself in unfamiliar territory. The young gem looked around the barren canyon, and then back at his two companions.

"I've never been here before," he stated. "What is this place?"

"It appears to be a normal canyon," Pearl answered.

"Oh," Steven said quietly.

"Come on, Pearl," Garnet called to her teammate, who was examining a nearby canyon wall. "Let's fuse." The pale gem turned, nodded, and rushed over to her leader. Steven sat down as the two magical warriors prepared to fuse.

"This is going to be so awesome!" he whispered to himself.

The excited gem watched as the two warriors danced, their movements coordinated to an inaudible rhythm. The dance grew increasingly intricate, and Steven leaned forward, his anticipation growing. Finally, the pair fused in a shifting mass of light. The excited boy watched as the glowing form morphed into a curtain, which parted to reveal a grinning orange gem.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen!" the tall gem said. "Prepare to be amazed by the lovely Sardonyx!" Steven's eyes grew starry.

"Woo-hoo!" he exclaimed.

"Well, if it isn't Steven _Universe_ ," Sardonyx said enthusiastically. "Oh, it means _worlds_ to me to see a shining _star_ such as yourself." Steven chuckled at the fusion's wordplay.

"I understand we're here to show a gem a good time," she continued. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah!" Steven answered happily. He watched as the towering gem summoned Garnet's gauntlets and Pearl's spear. Twirling around artfully, the fusion deftly combined the two items into her war hammer and slung the disproportionate weapon over her shoulder.

"Well, then, we should get moving. We don't want to miss our curtain call." The massive gem turned and strode through the canyon, closely followed by her excited companion. As the pair trudged through the quiet canyon, Steven began to grow increasingly uneasy. The valley radiated a threatening aura, and the young gem felt as if something would jump out at him at any moment. He turned and looked up at his colossal companion, who continued to press forward, apparently unfettered by the ominous atmosphere. Sardonyx looked around the canyon slowly as she proceeded, her determination unwavering. Looking around once more, Steven addressed his towering comrade.

"Hey, Sardonyx, do you know what this gem creature is? And why have there been so many lately? Do you think it has something to do with the weird artifact we found?" The fusion looked down at her fretting charge and smiled.

"I really don't know the answers to any of those questions. I'm only sure of one thing."

"What?" Steven inquired.

"That whatever it is, we'll give it a show it'll never forget." Steven smiled at the fusion gem's optimism. Suddenly, a massive roar echoed through the canyon, causing the pair to freeze. Sardonyx bared her weapon, looking around for the source of the sound. Another roar swept through the valley, the intensity of the sound shaking the stone floor and shattering Steven's resolve. The young gem looked up at his comrade fearfully.

"Sardonyx, I…I don't want to do this. I'm going back to the warp pad."

"Are you sure?" the tall fusion inquired.

"Yeah," Steven affirmed. "You go on ahead. I'll see you guys back at the temple." Not wanting to hang around, the fearful boy turned and started back towards the warp pad. As he walked, Steven silently regretted leaving Sardonyx. He always enjoyed going on missions, and hated having to turn back. However, he felt that whatever lay ahead of them was probably really dangerous. Though Steven had made tremendous progress in learning to control his powers, he knew that some gems were still out of his league. He had been painfully reminded of that fact by the Homeworld gem a few weeks ago, who had managed to crush his friends, reduce his hometown to rubble, and nearly kill him. Steven hated not being able to help, but was confident that Sardonyx would be able to complete the mission herself.

Suddenly, Steven got the feeling that he was being watched. Slowing his pace, he looked around the canyon for any sign of the gem. Finding nothing unusual, Steven continued walking towards the warp pad. A noise from above caused the young gem to turn his gaze skyward, only to find a massive object descending towards him. He leapt out of the way just in time for it to barrel into the stone where he once stood, sending debris and dust everywhere. Steven recovered and summoned his shield. As the dust cleared, his assailant became more visible. Finally, Steven was able to make out his attacker's features. He gasped.

"S-S-Sardonyx? Sardonyx?" Failing to acknowledge him, the massive fusion brandished her war hammer and charged at her young companion.

"Sardonyx? It's me, Steven! Snap out of it! Wait!"

The massive warrior swept the ground with her hammer. Steven tried to dodge, but failed to evade the wide attack. The head of the weapon hit him directly, sending him flying across the canyon. The young boy's head crashed into the stone wall, and unconsciousness overtook him.


	7. Protect You

Protect You

"When do you think he'll wake up?"

"I don't know. He's been out for a while."

"Do you think he _will_ wake up?"

"We have to have faith. He's strong."

"Yeah, the kid's tough. He'll be fine."

"How did this even happen? Did you guys see what did this?"

"No, we didn't. Oh, this is all our fault! We should have been more careful…"

At the sound of voices, Steven began to stir. The young gem stretched as he gradually wakened from his deep sleep.

"Hey, guys, look! He's waking up!"

Steven rubbed his eyes and blinked in an attempt to clear his vision. Looking up, he was greeted by a grinning purple individual.

"Amethyst?" he asked wearily.

"Hey, buddy," she replied. "How're ya feeling?"

"Alright, I guess," the boy replied drowsily.

"Steven! Thank goodness you're okay!" a voice outside his field of vision chimed in. Steven turned to see Pearl, Garnet, and Greg standing at his bedside.

"Hey guys," he answered. The tired gem struggled to sit up. Seeing this, Greg moved over to help him.

"Glad you're awake, kiddo," the worried father commented as he helped prop him up.

"Thanks, dad," he said. The half-gem rubbed his eyes again before turning to the gems beside him. "Where am I? How long was I asleep?"

"We're in your room. You've been asleep since yesterday." Garnet replied.

"After we found and bubbled the gem, we headed back to the warp pad," Pearl added. "We found you unconscious against a cliff wall, and took you back to the temple." Steven shifted his position and frowned. Recent events rushed through his consciousness, and a worried look crossed his features. A hand on his shoulder brought the young boy back to reality, and he looked up to see Pearl staring at him with a similar expression.

"Are you okay?" the pale warrior queried. "Can you tell us what happened to you?" Steven's expression darkened.

"So you guys don't remember anything?" Steven asked, concern permeating his voice. The gems exchanged perplexed looks at the cryptic inquiry.

"What do you mean?" Garnet inquired. "What did this?" His companion's obliviousness served to exacerbate the half-gem's worry. He hesitated briefly before answering.

"…Sardonyx." The room fell silent as the gems began to comprehend the reality of the situation.

"What?" Pearl asked in disbelief.

"Sardonyx attacked me," Steven continued. "I was walking back to the warp pad when she came out of nowhere and tried to crush me with her war hammer. She was acting weird, just like Amethyst and Pearl when they attacked me. I tried to escape, but she knocked me out." An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally, Greg spoke up.

"Sardonyx?" Garnet turned to him.

"The fusion of me and Pearl." Greg took a step back.

"What!" he exclaimed. "Why would you attack Steven?"

"It's…something's been making us act weird," Amethyst explained.

"We don't know what's causing it, but we don't remember anything when it happens," added Pearl worriedly.

"They've been going crazy and attacking me," Steven said, looking over at the gems. "We're all pretty worried about it."

"We didn't think it would affect fusions," Garnet stated. "Apparently, we were wrong."

"Well, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with all this," Greg said, looking down at his son. "I should have heard about this earlier. If you guys are trying to hurt Steven, then I don't think he should stay here."

"I disagree," Pearl countered vehemently. "If Steven is in danger, then he would be safer where we can protect him. As far as we know, the madness can only affect one gem at a time. As long as we all keep an eye on Steven, he should be safe."

"Guys?" Steven asked quietly, somewhat disturbed by the growing tension in the room.

"We don't know if that's true," Greg stated, raising his voice, "and I don't want my son in a house with anyone who is trying to hurt him!"

"And why would he be any safer with you?" the pale gem responded pointedly, her temper growing. "You're just a human. If one of us did come after Steven, you'd be helpless to do anything."

"Guys," Steven repeated, his voice wavering.

"I'm his dad, and it's my responsibility to keep him safe!" Greg asserted resolutely. "And you're all a danger to him! He should stay with me!"

"You've never been able to keep him safe!" Pearl yelled, her frustration reaching critical mass. "You haven't been able to take care of him for years! You couldn't stop a crystal shrimp, let alone one of us!"

"Pearl…" Garnet started, disapproving of her teammate's manner.

"So you think I'm not a good enough parent to protect my own son?" the furious father questioned.

"No, you're not!" Pearl answered. "Not even a bit! And you were never good enough for Rose either!

"Guys!" Steven cried. The group turned to face the young gem, who was fighting back tears.

"Please stop fighting!" he continued. "I know you guys are scared. We're all really upset and worried about this. But we need to work together in order to get through this." The group stopped and watched as Steven got out of bed and wiped his eyes. The young gem looked up at his companions, who exchanged regretful looks.

"I'm…sorry," Pearl said, looking over at Greg. "I suppose I'm just…concerned about all this."

"That's okay, Pearl," he replied. "We all are." Seeing this exchange, Steven managed a small smile.

"What do you think, Steven?" Garnet asked her young charge. He thought for a moment.

"I…don't know," he answered before letting out a loud yawn. "I'm still a little tired." Greg and the gems watched as the weary boy crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up. Before long, he was snoring softly. Not wanting to wake him, the group quietly went downstairs and exited the beach house.

 _Two days later…_

Light grey clouds moved slowly overhead as Steven sat on the beach, enjoying the overcast afternoon weather. Beside him sat his signature cheeseburger backpack, filled with bagel sandwiches, Chaaaaps, and juice boxes. The sound of the residents blended with the ever-present cawing of the seagulls as they passed overhead. Steven appreciated the peace and quiet. With the hectic events of the, he savored the moment of tranquility the beach afforded. A voice behind him disrupted the serene atmosphere.

"Hey, Steven." The young boy turned to see Connie standing behind him, her hair blowing slightly in the wind. She gave him a warm smile, which he promptly returned, and sat down beside him.

"Hey, Connie," he said. "It's great to see you again." The young gem reached over, unzipped his backpack, and began rummaging through it. After, a few seconds, he produced a bagel sandwich and a durian juice box, which he handed to Connie. She thanked him before unwrapping the sandwich and taking a bite. Steven continued to delve through his bag until he obtained a sandwich and drink for himself. Closing the bag, he scooted closer to Connie and started to eat his own lunch. The two continued silently for a little while, enjoying the sound of the crashing waves, the beautiful clouds, and each other's company. Finally, Connie spoke up.

"Are you okay, Steven?" The half-gem looked over at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Hm?" he replied, his speech mumbled by his mouthful of sandwich.

"You seem…more distant than usual," Connie continued. "Is something troubling you? You can talk to me." Steven swallowed his mouthful emphatically, inducing a small chuckle from his companion.

"Well, I'm just concerned about what's been going on with the gems, I guess," he responded. Connie stopped eating and put her sandwich down.

"What happened?" she asked.

"The gems attacked me," Steven said, worry evident in his tone. "More than once."

"What!" Connie exclaimed in disbelief. "Why would they do that?"

"Well, about a week ago, something really weird started happening," the concerned gem explained. "The gems started going crazy and trying to hurt me. It started with Pearl, who attacked me on the beach. Then, Amethyst turned on me during a mission. Then, I went on a mission with Garnet and Pearl. They fused into Sardonyx, but she ambushed me and knocked me out."

"That's horrible!" Connie commented. "What do you think would cause them to do that?"

"I don't know," Steven answered. "It all started when we went on a mission into a cave to find a gem artifact. We found a sealed part of the cave filled with skeletons and destroyed gems. We found the artifact, a weird pyramid thingy, and sent it back to the temple. When we went back, everyone started acting weird."

"So you think the 'thingy' caused it?" Connie questioned.

"Maybe," Steven replied hesitantly. "I'm not sure why it isn't affecting me though." The pair stopped and pondered the situation. Suddenly, an idea came to Connie. She turned to her perplexed friend and voiced her theory.

"Hey, maybe it's like a virus of some sort. A gem virus!"

"A virus?" Steven repeated confusedly.

"Yeah, a gem virus!" Connie continued. "Maybe it came from outer space, and it makes any gem it infects crazy."

"Then why didn't it affect me?" Steven queried.

"Because you're part human," answered Connie. "What if it only affects full gems? And we've never heard of it because it's not from our planet. It was probably what killed the gems in the cave. Maybe that's why the cave was sealed, so that it couldn't get out!"

"That would make sense," Steven said, considering his companion's explanation. "But…if it only affects gems, then what killed all of the humans?"

"Maybe the crazy gems did," Connie responded.

"Oh," said Steven. He considered the explanation for a few seconds before another question came to him.

"But, if the virus killed the gems and the gems killed the humans, then who sealed the cavern off?" Connie considered the question carefully before conceding the flaw in her reasoning.

"Well, whatever it was, it seems really dangerous," she stated. The young girl took out her phone to check the time before turning her attention back to Steven. "It looks like it's time for me to leave. I have to get to tennis practice." She stood up and dusted off. "Bye, Steven. Please stay safe."

"Okay, I will," the young gem answered, standing up as well. "Bye, Connie." The pair exchanged a hug and Connie left. As Steven cleaned up the remnants of the picnic, he thought about Connie's theory. He hadn't previously considered the possibility of a contagion of some sort. The young boy wasn't sure whether or not there were such things as diseases back on Homeworld, but he figured that he would be able to ask the gems when he got back to the temple. Cleaning up the last of the picnic, Steven slung his backpack on his shoulders and jogged down the beach towards his house.

Upon arriving at the beach house, Steven swiftly made his way up the steps and went inside. He was surprised to find his dad and the gems sitting on the couch, deep in discussion.

"Hey guys. What's going on?" At his interruption, all eyes in the room turned to him. Steven noticed that they all shared a regretful look. "Is something wrong?"

"Steven…" Pearl began apprehensively, "we've been talking and we…"

"We think that it would be best if you stayed with me for a while," Greg finished.

"And away from us," Amethyst chimed in sadly.

"What?" Steven asked, taken aback by the sudden development. "No."

"Until we figure this out, we're a danger to you," added Pearl.

"But I want to help!" Steven asserted.

"Steven," Garnet replied coolly. "We know you do, but this is for your own good." The young gem thought for a moment.

"Alright," he said finally. With a forlorn sigh, Steven walked up to his room and began to pack his bag.


	8. Dear Old Dad

Dear Old Dad

A serene silence hung over Beach City. Devoid of its usual rabble, the whistle of a light wind was the only sound audible in the town. The streetlights barely illuminated the heart of the city, bathing the halcyon scene in a faint glow. The quiet ambience remained unobserved, save a single small figure lying atop the van, his mind lost in the endless night sky.

Sleep eluded Steven Universe that night, despite his best attempts to leave the waking world. He had counted sheep, and tried finding a more comfortable position for half an hour before surrendering to his restlessness. Not wanting to wake his father, who was quietly snoozing in the van below him, the sleepless gem had resorted to stargazing. A cool breeze caused him to nestle into his caterpillar sleeping bag. Atop his father's beloved vehicle, Steven struggled with the events of the past few days.

Steven was still greatly distraught by the sudden and inexplicable series of attacks by the gems. He had mulled over possible causes for hours, each time settling back on the mysterious artifact they had found in the cave. The fits of madness had started very shortly after its discovery, and it had apparently been responsible for a great deal of destruction. Connie's theory still rang in his mind; he wondered if the device had been some sort of virus-creating weapon, designed to attack gem minds. After the discussion with his sword-savvy friend, Steven had gone to the gems with the idea of a viral agent. Pearl had assured Steven that no such disease had existed on Homeworld, though she seemed uncertain. Still, he maintained that it was a possibility. The theory made sense to the young boy, and he had yet to hear a more plausible explanation. Letting out a sigh, his mind turned to the issue that still burned in his mind. Since waking at the temple that morning, a single disturbing question had pervaded his thoughts. For what must have been the tenth time that day, Steven pondered why he was still alive.

Steven's ability to recollect the attack by Sardonyx was somewhat limited. He remembered the massive gem ambushing him from above, and trying desperately to evade the fusion's war hammer. Steven's memory of the traumatic event ended at the point he crashed into the canyon wall and fell unconscious. However, the confounded half-gem was unable to explain how he had survived the ordeal. He knew that Sardonyx could have easily ended him while he was unconscious. It seemed obvious that she had been trying to kill him, just like the other gems. However, something had prevented her from finishing him off. Steven knew that the gems hadn't saved him. He had toyed with the idea that Sardonyx had come to her senses just in time, but had discarded the notion; the chances were exceedingly slim, and the attacks by the other gems were much longer. His survival seemed nothing short of miraculous, and it deeply perplexed him.

A small noise pulled the troubled gem's attention from his thoughts. Sitting up in his sleeping bag, Steven looked around for the source of the sound. Squinting in the darkness, he noticed something moving a few yards away. The mysterious shape continued to move before disappearing from his line of sight. Curious about an unknown creature, Steven emerged from his sleeping bag, put on his sandals, and jumped off the top of the van. Clad in his "banana pajamas", he steeled his resolve and strode into the silent town.

Steven slowly made his way among the buildings, carefully searching for any sign of the mysterious being lurking in the shadows. The apprehensive gem carefully peered around corners and remained low to the ground in an attempt to remain hidden. As he continued his exploration, a feeling of dread began to swell in his chest. A sound caused Steven to whirl around. He caught a glimpse of a figure before it disappeared behind a building.

"Hey, wait!" the half-gem called. "Please stop! I just want to talk to you!" Steven quickly took off after the elusive figure. Turning the corner, Steven found the street in front of him deserted. After looking around once more, he quickly stopped to catch his breath. Another faint noise resonated through the silence. Steven looked up to see a small shape in front of him. No sooner did he take a step forward than the object suddenly flew at him.

"Aaaaah!" Steven yelled, shrinking away from the incoming attack. Much to his surprise, the being flew over him and landed a few yards away. Regaining his composure, Steven looked in the direction of the mysterious creature, which let out a loud squawk before taking to the skies.

"Oh, it was just a seagull," Steven stated to himself with a sigh of relief. The young boy let out a nervous laugh before yawning loudly. "I should probably get back to the van." Steven turned, only to collide with a large form, knocking him to the ground. He looked up at the imposing figure silhouetted in the darkness. There was something familiar about it.

"Hello?" he asked timidly. In response to his question, the being swiftly kicked the tired boy, sending him tumbling several feet. Steven stood up and nursed his aching arm. Unsure of the nature of his mysterious attacker, the frightened gem turned and ran down the boardwalk. As he fled, he peered over his shoulder, only to find the enigmatic assailant in pursuit. His attention behind him, the fleeing child's foot caught on something, causing him to trip and slam into the pavement. Ignoring a painful gash on his leg, Steven turned to find his attacker slowly walking towards him. He backed up under a street lamp, visibly shaking. As his mysterious attacker approached, the terrified boy was finally able to make out its features.

"D-d-dad?" Steven asked fearfully, backing away as his father approached him with a murderous look in his eyes. "Dad, it's me, Steven! Dad?" The aging musician took a menacing step forward before diving at his son. Steven sidestepped, stumbling due to his wounds. He regained his balance in time to avoid another furious swipe by his maddened father, who turned and glared at him, bloodthirst burning in his eyes. Not wanting to engage in combat, the injured half-gem turned and limped down the street towards the beach. Greg gave chase, but his son managed to keep the lead. Steven's stamina began to waver as he approached the beach, and his father finally overtook him. Tackling him to the ground, the enraged musician swung violently at him. The young gem summoned his shield and managed to deflect most of the blows.

"Please, dad, stop!" he cried. "I don't want to fight you! Snap out of it!" Greg continued his assault unfazed, and his son's defenses began to falter under the unrelenting barrage. Desperate to escape, Steven swung upward with his shield and caught his attacker by surprise. Greg stumbled, creating a window of opportunity. Not waiting for him to regain his balance, the wounded gem took off down the beach.

Steven ran as quickly as his injured leg would carry him, his speed hindered by the loose sand. He didn't dare to look back, fearful of what he might find. Approaching his house, Steven poured his dwindling energy into a desperate sprint. He managed to reach his front door and ran inside the unlit abode. Without a moment's hesitation, the horrified boy ran to the temple door and banged on it furiously.

"Garnet! Pearl! Amethyst! Help me! Please!" Suddenly, a grave thought came to him.

 _What if the gems are possessed too?_

Realizing his error too late, Steven backed away from the inter-dimensional door. His foot caught on the warp pad, causing him to fall backwards. Suddenly, the magical door opened, and Pearl emerged, extending her weapon threateningly. Within seconds she was joined by Amethyst and Garnet, both armed and ready. Now utterly terrified, Steven backed away from his caretakers, wincing at the pain from his wounded leg. He shut his eyes tightly and waited for the end.

"Steven? Is that you?" The trembling gem felt a gentle hand on his back, and cracked an eyelid to see Pearl kneeling beside him with a concerned look on her face. Amethyst turned on the lights in the room, and the pale gem let out a gasp.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, looking over her disheveled charge. "Are you alright? What happened?" Steven took several deep breaths in a futile attempt to calm down.

"I…it…" he stuttered, tears forming in his eyes. Seeing his distress, Pearl picked him up and set him down on the couch.

"Amethyst, could you please get the bandages from the cabinet," the pale gem asked. She turned her attention back to the boy before her, who was still shaking. "Now, tell me what happened."

A half-hour later found Steven sidled up to Garnet on the couch with a fresh bandage on his leg and a glass of water in his hands. He had finally managed to calm his nerves enough to explain the situation. The three gems listened attentively as he recounted the harrowing ordeal he had endured. After he finished his story, worried looks were exchanged among the magical trio.

"So, Greg went crazy, too?" Amethyst asked concernedly.

"Yeah," Steven answered, taking another sip of water.

"That means that the madness can affect humans, too," Pearl commented. "Whatever is causing this is a threat to the other humans."

"This is bad," Garnet contributed. "We must protect them."

"But how?" inquired Amethyst. "We still don't know what's doing this. Even if we did, couldn't it just control us if we try to do anything?"

"We have to try," Garnet stated coolly. "We swore to keep the humans safe." A knock at the door drew the group's attention from the conversation. Walking over, Amethyst opened the screen door to find Greg, a look of concern plastered on his features. The musician turned off his flashlight and looked down at the purple gem.

"Hey, Amethyst," he greeted, worry permeating his voice. "Have you seen Steven? I woke up and he was gone." He looked up and noticed the injured gem on the couch.

"Steven! You had me so worried." Upon seeing him, Steven shrunk into the couch cushions, much to his father's dismay. "What's wrong, kiddo?"

"Dad…" Steven said quietly. His dad walked into the house and sat down across from him. Seeing the painful injury he had incurred, Greg's eyes widened.

"What happened?" he asked fearfully.

"You…attacked me," Steven answered apprehensively. "Like the gems did."

"No…no…" Greg responded in utter disbelief. The room fell silent as he struggled to stomach his son's allegations. Finally, he spoke up again.

"I'm so sorry. I…I don't remember anything at all. I would never hurt you, I swear it was an…"

"It's okay," the young gem interrupted timidly. "I know you didn't mean to."

"So what do we do now?" Amethyst asked quietly.

"It's clear that Steven isn't safe as long as he's with us," Pearl voiced sadly. She looked over at her young charge, who was once again struggling with tears.

"Steven," Garnet began, looking down at him. "What do you want to do?" The small boy sniffled and wiped his eyes.

"I…think I just need some time alone," he responded. In response to his request, his gem began to glow, and Rose's door opened. Looking around at his family one final time, Steven turned and ran into the room. Greg and the gems watched as the door separated them from their beloved charge.


	9. The Temple

The Temple

Steven watched as clouds slowly swirled overhead, coalescing and whirling in an endless dance. His room resonated with a resounding silence which echoed in his mind, drowning out his pained thoughts. The tormented boy sat up and looked around at the endless, blank cloudscape and frowned. The quiet room seemed to acknowledge his distress, reflecting his squalid emotional state.

Lying back in the clouds, Steven once again considered how to proceed as to the gems and his dad. After the violent and completely unforeseen attack by his father, the young gem had secluded himself within the magical room. Though unable to track the time, it felt as if hours had passed. He had spent the time deep in thought, trying to concoct a plan to save his friends and family. After the series of traumatic attacks by the gems and his dad, Steven had come to realize that whatever was causing the madness posed a legitimate danger to the safety of Beach City. It had dawned on him that since humans were not immune, the insanity threatened to cause the residents to turn on one another if unchecked. He feared for their lives.

What worried him the most was the understanding that the gems were powerless to help. The entity, which Steven presumed to be the artifact, had easily overtaken their will and driven them to inconceivable acts of violence. Though the disturbed boy had managed to survive each frightening encounter, he had done so narrowly, each time evading his own death by inches. I frightened him to consider how the other residents would fare against his magical companions. It was unlikely the town would survive more than a few hours…

Thoroughly upset by his train of thought, Steven quickly stood and began pacing about the room. He had avoided leaving, fearful of who might turn on him. The clouds whipped up underfoot as his pace quickened. He had thus far failed to devise an effective countermeasure to the danger, despite his best efforts. And he guessed that the gems were having similar luck. Finally, he resolved to leave the room and find them. He requested an exit, which appeared in a puff of clouds. Taking a deep breath, the worried half-gem cautiously stepped through the magical door into the house.

Exiting the magical chamber, he cautiously looked around for any sign of danger. The lights in the house were off, and no moonlight shone through the windows. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the murky shadows. Finally able to see, he surveyed the beach house, only to find it deserted. The wind whistled through the screen door, and he could vaguely hear the waves as they crashed against the shore. Curious as to the gems' location, Steven walked over to the front door and opened it quietly. Stepping out into the cool night, he trod down the stairs and onto the beach. His feet sunk into the loose sand as he stopped and listened for his comrades, but heard only the sounds of the sea. The beach was deserted. The young gem felt alone in the world.

Looking towards the city, Steven remembered his dad. Steeling his resolve, he pressed onward towards the boardwalk. As he walked towards the carwash, a feeling of apprehension welled in his chest. Ominous silence hung over the town, as if to warn him of an unseen danger. The uneasy boy's fears took hold of him, and he summoned his shield. He reached the heart of town and entered the group of deserted shops and attractions.

As he walked through his hometown, Steven got the feeling that somehow, he wasn't alone. The wind had died down, cloaking the town in unnatural quiet. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. Steven slowed his pace and continued towards his dad's car wash, carefully looking for any movement. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something unusual atop Beach Citywalk Fries.

Looking up, Steven peered at the mysterious shape on the shop's sign. Two dim, white lights hovered in the air motionless. For a moment, he remained still, his gaze fixated on the inexplicable shining objects hovering above him. Steven blinked and looked back up at the sign, but the shape and lights were gone

"Weird," Steven thought out loud. "I must be getting tired. I hope so…" Spooked by the unusual occurrence, he gave up his search for Greg and decided to return to the temple. Turning on his heel, Steven wasted no time in reaching the edge of the beach. Stepping onto the sand, he dispelled his shield and broke into a run. As he ran, his mind once again flooded with thoughts about the artifact.

The magical boy still didn't understand why he hadn't been affected yet. The madness had proven to influence humans and gems, as well as fusions. Steven quickly wondered whether his half-human physiology was responsible for his apparent immunity. Even more curious, the individuals affected seemed to specifically hunt him. The mad fixation seemed almost intentional, as if someone had been mind-controlling his friends to kill him. He wondered if the strange lights were related to the incidents. Still, the attacks had started after finding the unusual artifact in the caves…

Suddenly, an idea came to him. Steven mulled over the rapidly forming plan in his mind. Though dangerous, it seemed to be the only way to save the others. Finally reaching his house, Steven jogged up the steps and went inside. The quiet abode was still deserted. Looking around once more, he walked up to the magical entrance to his mom's room.

"I want to get inside," he said. "I need to get something." In response to his request, his gem began to glow, and the magical door opened. Not wanting to be caught, the half-gem quickly entered the magical sanctum, listening as the door shut behind him. Steven cleared his throat and spoke up again.

"Room!" he yelled. "I want to get down to the basement. Where the bubbled gems are." A small _whoosh_ caused him to look to the side. The clouds had parted, revealing the way down to the burning room.

"Thank you!" he called as he jogged over to the crystal vein and grabbed hold. Taking a deep breath, Steven slid down towards the basement. As he rapidly descended, Steven began to hear voices emanating from the heart of the temple. Upon reaching the basement, he was surprised to find the other gems standing around the lava, deep in conversation.

"…but how do we know this isn't temporary?" Pearl queried, looking at Garnet with concern. The red fusion turned and addressed her worried comrade.

"We don't," she answered coolly. But we can't afford to take a chance with Steven or the others' safety. If this thing is really as dangerous as we think it is, then we need to remain in the temple. As far as we know, it can only affect one of us at a time. If we stay as a group, we can make sure no one loses control."

"But why can't we just stay as a group outside the temple?" Amethyst asked bluntly. "If we just stay together outside, we can make sure that we're all okay. And we can protect the humans, go on missions, and still be with Steven. I think we should go."

"I actually agree with Amethyst," Pearl contributed. "It's our responsibility to protect humanity. If we're trapped within the temple, we can't capture corrupt gems or keep the humans safe. What if a gem tries to attack the temple?"

"That doesn't matter," Garnet answered. "As long as this madness is affecting us, we are the greatest threat to the humans. Our presence outside the temple is endangering everyone around us. Especially Steven. By staying in the temple, we can separate ourselves from him and the other humans. That way they'll be safe."

"But what will we do with Steven?" Pearl questioned. "We can't just leave him on his own. And I'm not sure I trust him with Greg." The magical group stood silently as they considered what to do about their young charge. Finally, an idea came to Amethyst.

"Hey," she said. "What if we have him stay with Connie for a while? I'm sure he'd be okay with her."

"Hmm, I'll have to call her parents and ask if Steven can stay with them," Pearl commented. At that, the trio walked out of the room into another part of the temple. Silently overseeing the exchange, Steven watched the gems leave the room. The concealed gem waited for a minute until the sounds of the magical guardians faded away. In an attempt to gently slide down the side of the chamber, he lost his balance and plummeted to the temple floor. He quickly recovered and hid, fearful that the gems had heard him. No one came. Steven left his hiding place, nursing his sore arm as he walked around the gem-filled chamber. After a brief search, he came upon the artifact floating in a bubble.

"There it is!" he stated excitedly. The young boy clambered up the side of the chamber and reached for the bubbled pyramid. Reaching out precariously, Steven managed to grab the gem bubble. He tucked it under one arm before carefully sliding back down the wall. Once firmly on solid ground, he popped the bubble and examined the mysterious artifact. The strange item pulsated with an otherworldly blue light. The hypnotic rhythm resonated with his heart, as if calling to him. Steven stared, enthralled by the alien object's inexplicable allure. A noise tore his attention from the enigmatic artifact. Steven heard the sound of someone approaching the chamber. Not wanting to be discovered, Steven, still holding the pyramid, quickly scrambled up the wall and hid atop one of the crystal veins. He listened as the sounds grew closer to the room. However, they faded as quickly as they had started, much to his relief. Now thoroughly concerned, the half-gem slid down once again and made his way out of the temple.

Steven squinted in the darkness of his room and breathed a sigh of relief. He had managed to acquire the artifact and reach his room without being caught. He smiled half-heartedly as he reached for his cheeseburger backpack reclining against the wall. Opening up the satchel, he carefully placed the otherworldly object inside. He then proceeded to scurry about the house, gathering supplies and clothing and quickly packing them in the backpack, which he slung over his shoulder as he headed downstairs. Placing the bag by the door, Steven opened the fridge and gathered several ingredients. He deftly created a bagel sandwich and wrapped it before finding a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. Struggling in the darkness, Steven carefully scrawled a brief note on the piece of paper. Satisfied with his message, Steven walked over to the door and stashed the sandwich in his bag. Looking back one last time, Steven wiped away a tear as he walked out into the night. He plodded down the stairs to find a large, pink creature sleeping under the beach house. Praising his good fortune, Steven walked up to the creature and gave it a gentle nudge.

"Lion? Hey, Lion!" The gentle guardian slowly opened his eyes and let out a wide yawn before fixing his gaze on the small boy.

"C'mon," Steven continued. "We're leaving."


	10. Leave Me Alone

Leave Me Alone

The light of the early morning filtered through the dense canopy and quietly fell upon the forest floor. A light wind whipped up, rustling the leaves and causing the pools of light to quiver, as if shivering in the cool morning air. Birds whistled, carrying a cordial conversation among the treetops. The gentle scene hung in time, unfettered by the outside world and oblivious to a single quiet observer below.

A weary wanderer carefully traversed the verdant haven, fallen leaves crunching with each measured step. He carefully surveyed his lush surroundings, searching for signs of danger lurking in the foliage. As he passed, the sounds of the animals ceased, heralding the passage of the mysterious traveler. Silhouetted in the dim light, he journeyed onward, his mind floating aimlessly. The greenery slowly thinned as his trek persisted. Finally, the forest gave way to a small beach. Several crystal formations littered the sand, gleaming in the golden light of dawn. Weary from the arduous walk, the silent traveler walked to the water's edge and plopped down on the sand.

"Wow, this place is just like I remember it," Steven commented as he adjusted his position in the sand. He took a moment to enjoy the tranquil scenery. Taking off his backpack, he set it down in front of him. Opening one of the pockets, Steven rummaged through his satchel until he located a wrapped sandwich. He pulled it out, unwrapped it, and took an eager bite. The young gem enjoyed his meal as he watched the sun slowly crawl higher into the sky.

"This place is really cool," Steven noted. The waves crashed against the shore, spraying him with mist and widening his smile. "I wish the gems could see this. I wonder what they're doing…"

 _Beach City…_

Pearl's evening had been relatively quiet. She and the others had met earlier in order to discuss the recent incidents and possible solutions. Garnet had asserted that the trio seclude themselves in the temple in order to protect Steven and the other residents of Beach City. She and Amethyst had disagreed; if they were stuck in the temple, then the humans would be defenseless. Nevertheless, the red fusion had maintained her position, and the group finally agreed to avoid the humans. It had been decided that Steven would stay with Connie and her parents until the issue was resolved. Afterwards, the pale warrior had returned to her room, where she had continued to ponder the perplexing situation and polish her collection of swords.

Throughout the evening, she had constantly worried about Steven. Following the brutal attack by Greg, the young boy had been thoroughly shaken. Pearl had been concerned when he retreated into Rose's room, a feeling which only grew as the night progressed. Her unease had finally reached critical mass early in the morning, and she resolved to leave and check on him.

Pearl quietly stepped out of her room, not wanting to wake the sleeping boy in the loft. The sun had just peaked over the horizon, and darkness still filled the quiet abode. Watching her step, the stealthy gem walked to the staircase, nearly running into the coffee table in the process. After successfully traversing the room, she slowly made her way up to Steven's room. Reaching the top, she quietly approached his bed. Pearl stopped abruptly.

Steven wasn't there.

"Steven?" she whispered worriedly. The gem warrior looked around the house for any sign of her young charge. "Steven?" She jumped down from the loft and looked around the room once more. Still, she failed to find him. As she turned to leave and look outside, she noticed something on the kitchen counter. Pearl walked over and picked up what she discovered to be a piece of paper. Unable to make out the words scrawled on it, Pearl shined a light with her gem. Her caution melted away instantly.

"Garnet!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Amethyst! Steven's in trouble!"

 _A few minutes later…_

 _Bang bang!_

The sudden noise ripped Greg from unconsciousness. Dismissing the sound as an errant raccoon, the half-conscious musician turned over and attempted to go back to sleep.

 _Bang bang!_

Once again, Greg ignored the sound and rolled over.

 _Bang bang!_

His frustration boiling over, the tired musician sat up, crawled out of bed, and opened the back door of his van.

"Hey, can't a guy get some…" He stopped upon recognizing who it was. Amethyst stood before him anxiously. "Hey, Amethyst," Greg said, rubbing his eyes. "What are doing here so early?"

"C'mon," she replied, nearly dragging him out of the vehicle. "We need you at the temple."

"What? Why?" he queried, exiting the vehicle and stretching. Without replying, the purple warrior turned and bolted down the road towards the beach. Shrugging, he took off after her. The pair rapidly traversed the town, their journey unfettered by residents or magical happenings. Finally, Amethyst reached the entrance to the beach house. She stopped and waited as her mortal companion caught up. Reaching the front door, Greg stopped and took several deep breaths before entering. Inside, he found Pearl seated on the couch, wringing her hands nervously. His concern growing, the exhausted musician sat down next to her. The pale gem looked up, and her fear-filled eyes ripped through him.

"What happened?" he asked nervously. Pearl motioned to the coffee table. Looking down, Greg noticed the small piece of paper in front of her. Picking it up, he turned it over and read the hastily scrawled text.

 _Dear Everyone,_

 _Since we found the weird pyramid thingy, everyone's been acting crazy. Not only is everyone trying to attack me, but no one can trust each other anymore. I'm scared for everyone's safety. So I took the pyramid and left. I won't come back until I figure out what it wants. Don't try to find me._

 _Love, Steven_

 _P.S. Tell dad I'll be gone for a little while._

 _P.S.S. Also, tell Connie I won't be able to go to the movies with her this weekend._

 _P.S.S.S. Amethyst, there's an empty cream cheese container in the fridge if you want to eat it. And we're out of bagels._

Greg re-read the note grimly, his concern growing steadily. Finally, he turned to Pearl, whose gaze was fixed on him.

"We need to find him," he managed to say. Amethyst sat down beside him before responding.

"Garnet already left," she stated. "If anyone can find him, she can."

"Do you think he's alright?" Pearl asked gravely, her voice wavering. "What if something happened to him?"

The room fell silent once more.

 _Back at the beach…_

Steven worked quickly to pack up his backpack and prepare to leave. He didn't want to linger and risk encountering an unknown gem. The lone boy remembered his last excursion to the island, and the encounter with an invisible gem creature.

"That was fun," he commented to no one in particular. "It'd be great if Lars and Sadie were here. We had a lot of fun last time."

By the time he was ready to leave, the sun had climbed above the horizon. Slinging his cheeseburger backpack over his shoulder, Steven stood and walked back into the jungle. He slowly advanced through the overgrowth, listening to the distant chirp of birds. Continuing through the dense jungle, he took the time to enjoy the serenity of nature. However, his pilgrimage was halted as quickly as it had begun.

The young gem stopped and listened. All at once, the ambience of the island had changed. The birds had fallen silent, leaving the wind alone to continue its quiet chorus. Listening carefully, Steven heard the sounds of something rapidly approaching through the foliage. He quickly found a rock and ducked behind it, keeping silent to avoid detection. A mysterious being emerged from the dense undergrowth and stopped abruptly.

"Steven!" the mysterious being called out. He immediately recognized the voice.

"Garnet?" Steven whispered under his breathe. He wanted desperately to answer her call and see the gems again, but resisted the urge.

"Steven?" the gem leader called again. "Where are you? You know I can sense you. Come on out." The concealed boy heard footsteps as the she began to approach his hiding spot. He pressed against the stone and closed his eyes, his heart beating like a drum. Suddenly, a noise came from the foliage. He heard the approaching gem halt her advance. After a few tense moments, she dashed off in the direction of the noise. Steven waited for several seconds before deciding that the coast was clear. Emerging from his hiding spot, he dashed in the direction of the warp pad. He dodged branches and jumped over roots, praying that Garnet wouldn't catch up to him. He frantically tried to think of where to escape to. A branch whipped across his shoulder, causing him to stumble. He regained momentum and continued running. Suddenly, he realized his next destination. Much to the young gem's relief, he reached the warp pad. He jumped onto the magical platform and escaped in a flash of light.

Emerging from the warp, he looked around the barren landscape around him. His gaze fixed on the massive cave entrance before him. Steven took a step back, debating whether or not to enter the ominous cavern. Steeling his resolve, the weary gem advanced slowly into the gaping stone maw. As he continued forward, the light from the entrance faded from view. Stopping, he stumbled around in the gloom until his hand made contact with a wall. Setting his backpack down, Steven unzipped a pocket and pulled out the mysterious gem artifact. The pyramid's light cast an eerie glow through the subterranean chamber. Placing it on the stone floor, Steven continued to rummage through his pack until he produced a first-aid kit, quickly treating the painful gash across his shoulder. After replacing the kit, he zipped up the satchel, picked up the artifact, and journeyed into the murky depths of the cave. His trek winded through numerous chambers and tunnels as he descended further into the unknown. The apprehensive boy remained vigilant as he navigated the seeming endless maze of stone, his expedition lit by the artifact and the numerous crystals which littered the cavern. Finally, Steven emerged from a tunnel to find he had reached his destination.

Holding the artifact in the air, he examined the countless bodies strewn across the subterranean crypt. The shards of destroyed gems glimmered in the light, as if themselves drawn to the pyramid's allure. Steven swallowed his fear and entered the forgotten tomb. As he continued into the grim chamber, he watched the artifact pulsate in his hands. Contrary to his expectations, the rhythmic pulsations continued evenly. A crunching sound drew his attention to the ground. The young gem lifted his foot to find the remnants of a skeleton's jaw scattered on the stone.

"Sorry," he said nervously. The skeleton's vacant gaze remained fixed on the small intruder. Shivering, Steven continued onward. As he journeyed into the cavern, the light of the crystals seemed to dim, basking the tomb in an unholy darkness. Suddenly, something caught the young gem's attention. In the meager illumination, he made out what appeared to be an entrance to another tunnel at the far end of the chamber. Watching his step, the curious half-gem made his way across the silent catacomb. As he was about to reach the tunnel entrance, the floor underneath him began to crack.

"Whoa! Whoooaaaa!" he exclaimed.

The stone gave way, sending the surprised child plummeting into the darkness.

* * *

A word from the author:

Hello, everybody!

It's been a while since I last checked in. I haven't had the chance to thank you all, my awesome readers, for your support of this sequel. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone who provided feedback and reviews so far, and especially everyone who favorited and followed. Be sure to stay tuned; things are about to get exciting+…

-Lotus


	11. Die Here

Die Here

"Ugh…ow…"

Steven blinked and sat up, his head protesting the movement. As his dizziness faded, recent events came back to him; he stood up and rubbed his sore spine. Realizing that he had lost track of the mysterious gem artifact, Steven frantically looked around the murky chamber until he found the small item a few feet away. Walking over to the faintly glowing pyramid, he lifted it above his head in order to see, surveying the subterranean cave. Steven located his cheeseburger backpack a few feet away, dusted it off, and slung it over his shoulder.

"Great," he started, looking up at the hole in the cavern floor. "Now I need to find a way out of here." The lone half-gem looked around the dimly lit chamber for anything which resembled an exit. Finally, he noticed a small tunnel at the far end of the cavern. After making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he entered the unexplored depths.

The crystals covering the tunnel walls seemed to sense their weary visitor as he traveled through the darkness, journeying deeper into the depths. He stopped briefly in order to adjust his backpack. As he did, a faint sound echoed through the cavern. Steven stopped and listened for the noise. After a moment, another sound rang out. Now thoroughly curious, the brave gem turned and started towards the source of the sound. As he continued deeper into the cave, the noises became increasingly audible, and his fear began to grow. In the meager illumination, he noticed a small fissure in the rock wall from which the sounds were emanating. Taking a deep breathe, he stepped into the crevice and carefully made his way through the narrow passage. Emerging at the other end, he dusted himself off and looked around the small chamber. He raised the pyramid to light the area, and froze.

Huddled against the far wall was a gem.

Steven frowned at the mysterious being's appearance. Her hair was wild and disheveled, as if she had weathered a hurricane. She sat with her arms hugged around her knees, protecting herself from something unknown. The half-gem took a step towards the enigmatic alien. At the noise, her head shot up, and her wild blue eyes bore into him.

"N-n-no…" she stuttered, pressing against the stone. Steven hesitated before giving the gem a nervous smile.

"Oh…um…hi!" he started. "My name is Steven." He watched the blue gem back away, fear swimming in her eyes. "Um…what's your…"

"No!" the terrified gem interrupted. "Stay away!"

"But I just…" the confused boy tried to say.

"Stay back!" the gem cried. "You can't fool me! I know what you _really_ are!"

"Huh?" Steven replied, disturbed by the gem's odd behavior. "Wha…"

"You must really think I'm real stupid, huh?" the gem began. "Don't think I don't know the truth! I know what you are! I've seen it! You thought no one was left, didn't you? Well, you were wrong! I made it out! I escaped! Ahahahahaha!"

"W-w-w-what are you talking ab…" Steven asked, his concern growing.

"I saw what you did!" the insane gem continued. "What you did to them! The hunger! The voices! All of them! And I've seen them! The eyes! I've seen the eyes, lifeless eyes! I don't know who or what created you, but I hope they paid for it! You're a monster! It all makes sense! They sent you to end us! They thought we would go quietly! No! I refuse to let it all end this way! I know Rose will save us! We will win this war! And we'll drive every single Homeworld gem off-world! Yes! And then, we'll rid the world of your plague!

"I-I-I don't understand," Steven answered, his voice wavering. He took a step tentative step forward, causing the crazed gem to shrink back even more.

"Don't you dare take one more step!" she yelled violently. Reaching down, she pulled a partisan from her gem and turned the blade towards her chest. "I won't let you take me! Not like you did them! I'll destroy myself first! I'll never tell you where she is!"

"Wait!" Steven cried desperately, tears forming in his eyes. "Please, I…"

"No!" the gem screamed. "I won't go! Not how they did! I saw what happened! How we tore each other apart! It won' be me! It won't! I'll never fall to you! We'll win this war yet! And when we do…" She smiled madly.

"You…will…die!"

Without warning, she thrust the weapon into her gem, shattering the glimmering stone. Steven watched as several gemstone pieces fell to the ground. Time seemed to stand still in the silent chamber. With one last mad laugh, the gem and her weapon disappeared in a puff of smoke, her shards clattering to the stone floor.

Steven stood, quivering from the horrifying event he had just witnessed. Tears ran down his cheeks and stained his shirt. His knees began to feel weak, and the young gem leaned against the cave wall until his strength returned. Without thinking, he turned, moved through the crack in the wall, and dashed down the tunnel in search of an exit. Knowing that the exit would be above him, he resolved to venture upwards in hope of leaving the horrid crypt. The traumatized boy ran blindly through the endless subterranean maze, clutching the mysterious artifact as he traversed chambers and ran through tunnels. The gem's suicide had crushed his resolve. He wanted nothing more than to return to Beach City and find the gems. He hoped their comforting presence would help him forget his troubling ordeal.

Steven continued through the vast underground network, ever journeying upward as he tried desperately to escape the haunting tomb. The glow of the myriad crystals grew dim, further exacerbating the terror gripping him. The young boy feared the prospect of being lost in the darkness, unable to reach his family or friends. As his stamina ran low, he stopped in a small chamber to catch his breath and adjust the backpack on his shoulders. Examining the stone room, he noticed a tunnel to his side that seemed to lead upward. Shifting his grip on the ancient gem artifact, Steven walked over to the unknown path and entered the confined pathway.

Emerging from the tunnel, the weary, terrified gem was surprised to find himself among the mass of remains he had discovered earlier. The crystals in the room had all but extinguished, leaving the gem artifact as his only light source. Steven began to traverse the catacomb, being careful as to not disturb the remains. As he walked, the sound of crunching bones drew his attention. He turned to see a silhouetted figure slowly approaching him. Steven lifted the glowing gem artifact in order to get a better view of the being. The light illuminated the features of the mysterious figure. The young gem's eyes widened in fear, and he retreated.

"You…" he said, his voice quivering. "…you're the one who attacked Beach City." Turning, he tried to escape the hulking warrior. However, before he could run, the Homeworld gem lunged and grabbed him by his shirt collar. The massive brawler gripped him by his shoulders and yanked him from the ground, bringing his face close to hers.

"You…" she stated, glaring at the small gem trembling in her hands. Steven continued to shake as the imposing villain's gaze burned through his resolve. Overcome by recent events and the prospect of his impending demise, the terrified child began to sob profusely. He shut his eyes tightly and waited for the gem to end his life.

Much to his surprise, his demise did not come. Steven continued to cry, drowning in his overwhelming fear. Suddenly, he found himself being shaken vigorously. He opened his eyes and looked up at his massive captor, who was staring at him with a perplexed look on her face.

"Quiet," she said, her voice a mix of impatience and confusion. "I have no intention of hurting you."

"Huh?" Steven replied.

 _Half an hour later…_

"Sorry for shaking you," the gem brawler said. "I've never dealt with humans…'crying'."

"It's okay," the young boy replied, wiping his eyes. He had placed the pyramid between him and the gem to use as a light source, basking the pair in the blue glow.

"As I was saying, I was sent to kill Rose by the leaders of Homeworld. I always believed that she killed the gem I had fallen in love with."

"What made you change your mind?" Steven inquired. In response to his question, the imposing gem held out her hand, revealing several gem shards.

"I found them in this cave," she replied. "I knew Rose's tactics. She would never do this. Besides, now that I failed my mission, I'm no longer welcome back on Homeworld. So I have no reason to kill you now."

"That's good," Steven added nervously. "I really glad you didn't crush me. Hey, maybe you can stay with us. You'd be really helpful to the team!"

"No thanks," the warrior responded. "I'd rather be alone for a while. Anyway, what're you doing in here, kid?"

"We found this pyramid, but I don't know what it is. I think it's the reason that everyone's been attacking me."

"No," the Homeworld gem replied. "That's just a message matrix."

"A what?" Steven questioned.

"These were used by spies on both sides during the war," the brawler explained. "They can only be opened by the gem it's intended for." She picked up the pyramid and examined it. "This doesn't look like one of ours. I bet it was meant for Rose."

"Do you think I can open it?" the young boy asked.

"Try the panel on the bottom," the Homeworld gem suggested. Steven reached down and ran his hand along the bottom of the pyramid, searching for anything unusual. He noticed a small indentation, and gently applied pressure, causing it to click. Much to his surprise, his gem and the artifact began to glow. The top of the artifact evaporated, and a holographic projection of a gem appeared. He gasped as he recognized her.

"That's…the gem I just met," he said. "The one that…" Without warning, the hologram interrupted him.

"This is Sodalite, reporting. If you're hearing this, then you managed to get my message, Rose. In my reconnaissance, I discovered the source of the inexplicable insanity that's been affecting the others. It's not a human disease. And it's not a Homeworld weapon, like we thought. It's actually another gem! We overheard some of the enemy officers discussing it. She's responsible for the thousands of casualties we've recently incurred, and apparently many of the losses on the other side as well. I believe her name…"

Suddenly, the blue gem looked to her right and summoned her weapon. Out of nowhere, two gems pounced on her with the ferocity of rapid dogs. Sounds of a struggle could be heard for a few seconds before the message ended. Afterwards, Steven and the Homeworld gem stared at the artifact before turning to one another, barely processing the startling revelation. Finally, the young boy spoke.

"This means…that the gems aren't going crazy! I need to go tell them!" He picked up the artifact, put it in his backpack, and took off towards the exit. "Thank you for everything! Bye!"

"Good luck, kid," the gem responded, watching as her newfound friend departed.

 _A little while later_ …

A sound drew the Homeworld gem's attention from her thoughts. She looked up to see Steven running towards her, a frantic look plastered on his face.

"Help!" he cried. "I tried to escape, but there's a huge gem monster outside! It followed me down here, and it's coming to get me!" The massive gem brawler moved in front of him and summoned her weapon.

"Don't worry," she said confidently. "We'll take 'em."

"Thanks, Prasiolite," Steven replied from behind her.

"No problem, ki…" The massive gem warrior froze.

"Wait, I never told you my name…"

Suddenly, something struck her from behind, slamming her into the stone. Prasiolite turned to face her attacker. Standing over her was a horrifying aberration. Steven looked down at her, his hollow, eyeless gaze fixed on his prey. The nails on his left arm had grown into gleaming talons, while the bone and sinew of his left arm had twisted and contorted into a massive blade-like protrusion which scraped against the ancient stone. He smiled, showing a row of saw-like teeth. The gem brawler tried to summon her weapon; seeing the motion, the creature pinned her hand to the stone with his blade-arm.

"Do it," Prasiolite spat. Grinning once more, it dug its talons into her gem.

The silent tomb rang with her screams.


	12. Just Like Us

Just Like Us

Tumultuous thoughts churned in Greg's mind as he went about cleaning his van. Worry had plagued the aging musician since Steven's disappearance. The gems had put forth a herculean effort in an attempt to find him. Their inability to locate the lost boy had only further exacerbated his concerns. Greg walked to the other side of his van and began washing the windows.

"This is all my fault," he lamented. "He ran away because of me. And I don't even remember…" Greg's assault on his son had weighed heavily on his conscious. Sleep had eluded him, and guilt had haunted his waking hours. The worried father sighed and stretched.

"Dad?"

Greg's spine went rigid, and his heart skipped a beat. He turned to find Steven standing there, disheveled, a look of guilt and exhaustion plastered on his face. Without hesitating, Greg dropped what he was doing and ran over to his son. He knelt down and wrapped him in a tight hug, tears forming in his eyes.

"Steven! I…you…" he stammered. "You're okay!"

"Yeah," the young boy replied, resting his head on his father's shoulder. "Sorry I worried you." Greg stood, still clutching his son in his arms. Steven felt the tension in his dad's body melt as he let out a sigh.

"Don't _ever_ do that to me again!" he asserted. "You almost gave me and the gems heart attacks!" Steven looked down regretfully. Greg lifted his chin, and their eyes met.

"As your father, it's my responsibility to protect you. What you did was really dangerous." Greg stated firmly, gazing fiercely at the brave boy. "Promise that you'll tell me next time you decide to run off on your own."

"Okay," Steven answered with a half-hearted smile. Greg put him down, and the pair walked over to the chair out front and sat down.

"So, where did you go?" Greg asked.

"I went to the cave where we found the pyramid thingy." Steven replied.

"What?" Greg exclaimed. "You mean the thing that you said was mind controlling everyone?"

"Yeah," Steven responded. He quickly unzipped his cheeseburger backpack and produced the artifact. "I wanted to get it away from everyone. People didn't start going crazy until we brought it back to the temple. So I thought that maybe it would stop if I took it away."

"But why did you bring it back here?" his father queried, eyeing the ancient device nervously.

"Because it isn't the reason that everyone went crazy." Steven stated matter-of-factly. "When I was down in the caves, I met some crazy gem who said something about knowing 'what I really was.' I tried to talk to her, but she…she"

"She what?" Greg urged. He noticed tears swimming in his son's eyes. Seeing the startling change in his demeanor, the sympathetic father quickly changed the subject. "So, what happened after that?" Steven wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I tried to leave, but I found the gem that attacked Beach City earlier."

"The one that almost killed you?" Greg interrupted fearfully.

"Yeah," Steven answered. "But she turned out to be a good gem. She told me that this was just a message thing and helped me turn it on. Look!" The excited boy pressed the button on the pyramid's base, and Sodalite appeared once more. The pair sat silently as the gem relayed her vital message once more.

"…It's actually another gem! We overheard some of the enemy officers discussing it. She's responsible for the thousands of casualties we've recently incurred…" Finally the message ended, and the duo sat silently as Greg struggled with the startling revelation

"So, it's another gem?" Greg asked quietly.

"Yeah," Steven commented. "I really should go tell the gems."

"Okay," Greg said, smiling at his son's determination. He watched as the young gem packed up his backpack and ran off towards the beach.

 _At the temple_ …

Amethyst slowly stretched and got up from the couch. The temple was unusually quiet. With Garnet and Pearl out searching for Steven, she had been tasked with guarding the temple and watching in case Steven came home. The purple warrior sauntered over to the fridge and began rummaging through it. Noticing the empty cream cheese mentioned in Steven's note, she picked up the small item and popped it into her mouth. She finally located some appealing leftovers, and took them over to the counter eagerly. As she was about to dig into her feast, the front door burst open. She turned to find Steven standing in the entryway, panting.

"Steven!" she exclaimed with surprised. "You're back!"

"Yeah," he responded, his voice serious. "Let's go! We need to get down to the beach! Follow me!"

"Huh?" the purple gem asked. "Why? Did you find something?"

"No time to explain!" he yelled. "Come on!" Not waiting for an answer, he turned and ran out the door. Taking one last look at her meal, Amethyst quickly followed him out the door. She ran down the beach after Steven, wondering what he had found. Finally, he stopped near the edge of the beach. Seeing this, the purple warrior came to a halt and examined the area.

"Um…I don't see anything, dude?" Steven didn't answer. "Um, dude?" She turned in time for the young gem to barrel into her, sending her sprawling across the sand. Amethyst quickly recovered and summoned her weapon.

"What're you doing?" she asked with confusion. "Are you okay?" She managed to sidestep another furious lunge by the young gem. "Seriously, dude, if this is a joke, then cut it out." Steven's assault persisted. "Okay, then. You asked for it, kiddo."

Amethyst surged forward and swung her whip. Much to her surprise, Steven evaded the attack artfully, seamlessly transitioning from his dodge into a counterattack. The strike took Amethyst by surprise, and she went hurdling into the sand. Before she could recover, he struck again, sending her flying into the stone wall of the temple. Amethyst shook off the blow and began to swing furiously with her whip. To her dismay, Steven avoided her flurry of strikes with ease, his movements coordinated like a macabre dance among the lashes of the weapon. Seeing the futility of her assault, Amethyst dashed to the side in order to get a better angle. She lunged once more, but Steven turned her aside without even looking.

"What's gotten into you?" she asked frantically.

"Die, worthless defect," he answered, his guttural, distorted voice raking through Amethyst's mind like broken glass. She jumped back and quickly gathered her wits.

"You're not Steven, are you?" Amethyst said. "Then I don't need to hold back." The purple warrior surged forward with all the strength she could muster. Without warning, countless crystalline spikes burst from the being's body. Unable to halt her attack, Amethyst collided with the protrusions. She cried out as the crystals pierced her body.

"Pathetic," the creature mocked, its voice a cacophony of demonic whispers. Amethyst watched as its mouth stretched into a massive maw lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth. The being retracted the crystals and grabbed her. Leaning forward, it sunk its teeth into the purple gem. Without hesitation, it threw its head back and ripped Amethyst's body to pieces. Fear, pain, and shock were the last emotions that flashed across her face before she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

The being watched as the warrior's purple gem fell into the sand. Picking up the glimmering stone, the creature grinned. It summoned a knife, and deftly delivered several blows to the gemstone. Time stood still as it shattered into gleaming shards, which the diabolical entity dropped heedlessly in the sand. Then, its form began to contort and warp. The creature's shape and color rapidly shifted until it perfectly resembled the purple warrior. Smiling, it turned and started walking back to the temple.

 _Back at the temple…_

Steven jogged up the steps excitedly, his exhaustion and heavy pack all but forgotten. He threw open the front door and rushed inside, eager to share his new findings.

"Hey guys, I'm back! I went back to the cave and found…" At that moment, he noticed no one was listening. Chuckling lightly at his mistake, he walked up to his room and put his backpack down. He laid down on his bed and let out a relieved sigh. It felt good to be home. As he was about to doze off, a noise from downstairs drew his attention. He sat up and looked to see Amethyst standing in the doorway, an absent-minded look on her face.

"Hey, Amethyst!" Steven yelled excitedly, waving at his purple companion. The distracted gem looked up and flashed him a smile.

"Hey, dude!" she said enthusiastically. "Good to see you back in one piece. Where were you?"

"I went back to where we found the pyramid thingy," the boy answered. "I found out what's been making you guys go crazy!" Getting out of bed, he grabbed the artifact and rushed down the stairs, where Amethyst was waiting for him on the couch. He sat down and began to regale her with the story of his adventure. He quickly replayed the message before sitting back and allowing the purple gem to process the information.

"So, it's another gem?" she asked as she examined the message matrix.

"Yeah," Steven replied. "I don't really know how they do it, but at least we know it's not the thingy." His train of thought was interrupted as a loud yawn escaped him.

"You sound tired, kiddo," Amethyst offered. "Go get some sleep."

"But what about (yawn) Garnet and Pearl?" he queried.

"Don't worry," the purple warrior responded nonchalantly. "They'll be back. Just go get some rest." Steven nodded before walking back up to his room and jumped onto the bed. He was asleep before he hit the mattress. Amethyst sat and listened to the sleeping boy's soft snoring.

"All according to plan…" she muttered.

 _Later…_

The hum of the warp pad rang through the beach house. Out of the blue stream, two gems emerged, their minds abuzz with worry. Pearl and Garnet walked off the pad, examining the silent house. The sun was setting, basking the abode in a dim golden light.

All seemed peaceful.


	13. You Care About Me

You Care About Me

Steven couldn't help but enjoy the serene quiet of his house as he sat at the counter with a bagel sandwich in his hands. After his harrowing journey and startling discovery, his return home had been remarkably uneventful. He had awoken early that morning, only to be greeted warmly by the gems, who had each expressed their relief at his reappearance and inquired about his travels. He had eagerly explained his expedition, being careful to detail his findings in the cave. He showed the holographic message, and a brief discussion ensued over its meaning. After the conversation, Steven had decided to grab a light bite to eat. Working diligently, he artfully crafted a magnificent bagel sandwich. Satisfied with the result, he prepared to devour his masterpiece. Suddenly, his phone began ringing, sparing the meal from its gruesome demise.

"Hello?" he greeted, letting out a small yawn.

"Hey, Steven!" the voice on the other end exclaimed. "It's Connie!"

"Oh, hi!" he answered, happy to hear his friend's voice. "How are you?"

"Good," she replied. "Greg told me you came back from…wherever you were. Are you okay? What happened?"

"It's a long story," Steven responded with a nervous chuckle.

"I'm going to be near Beach City in a little bit." Connie commented. "Maybe I could come by your place."

"Yeah!" he replied enthusiastically. "That sounds great!"

"Then I'll meet you at the boardwalk at noon," she stated. "I've got to go. See you soon! Bye!"

"Bye, Connie!" the young gem commented before hanging up. Smiling, he put his phone down and returned to his bagel sandwich.

 _A few hours later…_

The sun shone down upon the beach, causing the sand to gleam like diamonds. The waves roiled against the shore endlessly, the persistent crashing mingling with the sounds of the residents as they wandered about the boardwalk. Steven and Connie strolled leisurely along the boardwalk, thoroughly enjoying each other's' company. As they made their way through the crowded town, each carrying part of their picnic setup, Steven told the tale of his recent adventure and shocking discovery.

"…and then she helped me turn on the pyramid thingy. It had a message inside it from the gem I had found earlier. She said that the madness was caused by another gem from outer space."

"Woah!" Connie interjected. "That sounds really cool! And somewhat scary. Does that mean that the gem is here on earth?" Steven stopped and thought about Connie's inquiry. The question had haunted him since his return to Beach City.

"Um, maybe," he replied hesitantly. As his thoughts turned to the gem, he grew very nervous. The gem clearly had malicious intentions, and seemed fairly powerful from what he had experienced. If he and the gems ended up having to fight it… He shuddered as vivid memories of his previous encounter with a Homeworld gem flashed through his mind.

"Steven?" Connie asked worriedly, pulling the young gem from his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," he answered, giving a half-hearted smile. Looking up, he noticed that they had finally reached the edge of the beach. The duo quickly jogged down to the waterfront. Picking a spot, the pair worked to set up their picnic. After everything was ready, Steven and Connie sat down and began to enjoy their meal. As they ate, Connie couldn't help but notice her companion's discomfort.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she queried once more between bites.

"Yeah," Steven responded as he watched the waves ebb and flow, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"Are you worried about the gem?" she asked. He swallowed his mouthful and hesitated for a moment.

"A bit," the young boy replied. "I just…it's…well…when I was in the cave with the Homeworld gem, she seemed kinda scared about the gem. She destroyed the entire town, and beat me and the other gems. And the gem in the hologram seemed really worried, too. She said that the gem killed a lot of other gems. If none of them could beat it…what happens if it tries to attack us? I'm not sure we can keep everyone safe." He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Connie staring at him with a sympathetic look on her face.

"Steven," she began. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll be there to help you. We'll keep everyone safe. Together." At that, the kind girl leaned forward and gave her troubled friend a hug, which he returned. The pair continued to sit and talk for a while longer until Connie announced that she needed to leave. They stood and began cleaning up the picnic, packing up any leftovers and dusting off the blanket. As they finished packing up, Connie noticed something unusual in the sand a short distance away. Turning her attention from the task at hand, she walked over and stooped to get a better look. Upon closer inspection, she identified the mysterious object as a small purple crystal shard. Connie quickly picked it up and dusted it off. Looking around, she noticed several more half-buried in the sand.

"Steven!" she called. "You should come see this!" The young gem quickly ran over to her, curios as to what she had found. Connie handed him one of the shards for him to examine.

"What are they?" she asked. "Are they magic?"

"I don't know," Steven responded, perplexed by the enigmatic shards. Somehow, they seemed familiar. "I'll take them to the gems. Maybe they'll know what they are." At that, he handed Connie the picnic basket and folded blanket, who in turn gave him the rest of the crystals. The pair exchanged farewells before parting ways.

Steven dashed up the beach towards his house, eager to discover the nature of the mysterious shards. He looked down at the cluster in his hands, which glowed in the sunlight. When he finally reached the beach house, he ran up the steps and went inside. There, he was greeted by Garnet and Pearl, who were talking at the counter.

"Hello, Steven," Pearl said with a smile.

"Hey," he replied tersely. "I have something I need you to look at. So I was down at the beach with Connie, and we had just finished our picnic. As we were cleaning up we found these weird crystals in the sand. I don't know what they are, but I thought you guys might." The young boy held up the shards, which Pearl quickly took from him. She examined the objects for a moment before letting out a horrified gasp.

"What is it, Pearl?" Steven asked, a hint of worry in his voice. The pale gem failed to answer.

"Pearl?" he tried again. He looked over to see Garnet staring at the crystals, a look of horror plastered on her face. "Guys?"

"It's…it's…" Pearl began.

"It's Amethyst." finished Garnet. The force of the words hit Steven like a hurricane.

"W-what?" he stuttered. "Amethyst? N-no. It…It couldn't be." The two gems stood silently, their gazes fixed on the shards.

"Wait," Steven continued, tears welling up in his eyes. "We can heal her right? I can just use my healing powers. She'll…she'll be okay right? Guys? Pearl? Garnet?" Neither gem answered.

"Guys?" he said desperately. "Please! Tell me she'll be okay! No! She can't be! No…she...I…" Memories of the purple gem began to flash through his mind, each one cutting into his resolve. Unable to contain his grief, Steven fell to his knees and began to bawl. Seeing this, Pearl walked over, knelt down, and pulled him into a hug. The agonized child pressed his head into her shoulder and continued to sob profusely. The pale gem tried to console her suffering charge, but her efforts were for naught. After a moment, Garnet walked over and joined her comrade in comforting the crying boy.

Suddenly, a sound came from behind the group. The trio turned just in time to watch a short, purple figure emerge from the temple.

"Hey, guys," Amethyst said nonchalantly. "What's going…on?" The short gem surveyed the unusual situation before her. "Did I miss something?"

"A-A-Amethyst?" Steven stuttered, standing and wiping his eyes. "You're alive?"

"Um…yeah?" she replied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"We found some shards on the beach," the young gem continued. "We thought that you…"

"I'm fine," Amethyst reassured. "Those are probably from some other gem we fought."

Steven looked back at Garnet, who was glaring at the purple gem intently. Without warning, she summoned her gauntlets.

"You're not Amethyst," the gem leader stated coldly. "The _real_ Amethyst would know we don't destroy gems. I know these shards were once Amethyst. _You_ destroyed her, didn't you?" Pearl quickly summoned her spear and stepped in front of Steven, pointing the weapon at the purple being before her.

"What?" Amethyst questioned with a bemused grin. "You've got to be kidding me. I'm standing right in front of you!"

"Well, if you really are you," Steven began, stepping forward, "what's your wrestling name?" The purple gem paused before letting out a sigh.

"Oh, well," she said, her voice contorting horrifyingly. "I had hoped to keep up the guise for a little longer. But you impudent traitors are far too meddlesome. I suppose it would be conscientious of me to kill you now, just like I did that worthless excuse for a quartz."

"Don't talk about Amethyst that way!" Steven yelled, tears stinging his eyes. "She was a better gem than you'll ever be!"

"She was filth, child," the gem replied, her tone pleasant. "Just like the rest of your caretakers."

"Enough of this!" Pearl yelled furiously. She lunged forward with her spear, rushing down the imposter. Without warning, a wave of dizziness overtook her, forcing her to halt the attack. A maniacal laugh pierced her ears, and she turned to see Garnet smiling sadistically.

"As if you could stop me," the tall gem said menacingly. "Destroying you will be easy. And when I'm done with you, I'll gut Steven like an animal."

Without hesitation, the pale warrior raised her weapon and charged at her leader.


	14. Break Us

Break Us

Steven watched in horror as Pearl relentlessly swung at Garnet, yelling incoherent responses to threats only she seemed to hear. The red gem, not wanting to hurt her comrade, struggled to evade and block the flurry of attacks in the crowded confines of the beach house. Much to Steven's dismay, Pearl became increasingly agitated as the fight drew on, and her attacks became increasingly vicious. In an attempt to end the hostilities, the frightened boy summoned his shield and took a step towards the skirmish. Seeing this, Garnet turned her attention away from the fight and ordered him to stay where he was.

"I don't understand!" Steven cried as he watched Pearl lunge once more at the crimson fusion. "Why is she attacking us? What's going on?" He turned to the pale gem. "Pearl, please stop! Tell me what's wrong!" She ignored his desperate pleas, her focus on the fusion before her.

"She can't hear you," a voice from behind him answered. Steven turned to find the Amethyst impersonator reclining on the couch, a smug grin plastered on its face.

"She can only hear what I want her to hear," the gem continued as she watched the fight with sadistic glee. "And see what I want her to see. Her perception is shaped entirely by my will. "She's _my_ Pearl now." The gem let out a cruel laugh, causing Steven to shudder.

"Stop it!" he begged the malicious imposter. "Let her go!"

"Why would I do something like that?" the gem asked amusedly. "This is just so much fun to watch." A loud crash drew their attention back to the fight. Garnet was still dodging and blocking her comrade's relentless assault, though she was beginning to run out of room to maneuver. After another brief exchange between the two, the red leader landed a swift blow to Pearl's midsection, causing the pale warrior to tumble into the wall.

"I can't keep this up forever," she stated coolly. "I have to stop this." She watched her frenzied ally recover and lunge once more. Sidestepping the attack, Garnet landed another blow to the crazed gem's chest. Before the pale warrior could recover, the red unleashed a furious barrage of attacks. Pearl tried to evade the unexpected counterattack, but found herself unable to regain her balance. Seizing the opportunity, Garnet surged forward with as much strength as she could muster. Swinging her gauntlets forward, she managed to land a crushing blow to her comrade's head. The pale warrior slammed against the floor before retreating into her gem.

Steven stood motionlessly, shocked by the sight of Pearl's stone glimmering in the light. He looked up at Garnet, who was staring at him with a perturbed expression. Steven wondered why she looked so confused. Suddenly a voice came from behind him.

"Garnet?"

Steven turned to find the gem standing by the couch, posing as him. The gem had managed to impersonate him flawlessly; he felt as if he was looking in a mirror. The imposter stood and slowly walked towards Steven.

"Why are you doing this to us?" the gem asked, its voice quivering in mock fear. "Why are you hurting my family?"

"Wha…bu…I" he stuttered, struggling momentarily to regain his composure. "I'm not doing this. You are!" The young gem took a step forward, only to have the deceiver recoil in faux fright.

"Garnet," the impersonator pleaded. "I-I'm scared."

"Don't listen to him," Steven cried. "He's not real. I'm the real Steven!" The red leader stopped as both gems continued to beg her to believe them. She struggled to discern which of the two was genuine. Both of them looked, sounded, and acted exactly like Steven. The tall gem tried to utilize her future vision, but failed to identify the imposter. As she struggled to solve the conundrum, one of them ran up to her and clung to her leg. He looked up, tears swimming in his eyes.

"Garnet, you have to believe me!" he begged. "Don't let it hurt me!" The red gem looked down at the desperate boy, transfixed by the fear evident in his features. After a moment, she looked up at the other Steven and assumed a fighting stance.

"Garnet? What are you…?" Before he could finish his sentence, Garnet surged forward and swung at the young gem. The blow caught him directly in the chest, slamming him into the wall. He landed roughly on the floor of the beach house and let out a groan. Garnet waited for the prone Steven to change back into its original form or retreat into its gem. Much to her dismay, he merely curled up on the floor and let out another groan. Garnet turned towards the Steven behind her, who was glaring at her with an evil smile.

"Wrong guess," the imposter mocked. Without warning, it jumped and slammed into Garnet, knocking the red gem back. She attempted to counterattack, but the gem deftly evaded it. As the gem dodged, its form began to contort and shift. In mere seconds, it had transformed into a duplicate of Garnet. Seeing this, the tall gem dashed at the imposter once more, attacking mercilessly. Much to her surprise, the gem managed to quickly manifest its own pair of gauntlets and block her assault. Garnet carefully evaded the gem's counterattack, following it with a counter of her own. The two gems continued their violent dance, each matching one another in strength and speed.

As the sounds of the heated battle echoed through the beach house, Steven began to stir. The young gem sat up, clutching his aching chest as it protested the movement. Looking around, he gasped at the sight of the two gems fighting in the middle of the house.

"Garnet!" he yelled, concern evident in his voice. The red gem turned towards him briefly.

"Steven!" she exclaimed, turning her attention back towards the fight at hand. "You need to get out of here!"

"No!" he protested as he shakily got to his feet. "I want to stay and help!"

"It isn't safe," the red gem responded, dodging one of the gem's attacks. "This gem is way too powerful for you to fight. Find Greg and stay with him."

"But what about you?" the worried boy asked.

"I'll be fine," Garnet answered calmly. "Go!" Without hesitation, Steven turned and started towards the door. Seeing this, the imposter frowned.

"Where do you think you're going," it hissed. Ducking under Garnet's attacks, the impersonator swiftly lunged at Steven. The young gem flinched and braced himself for the gem's attack. However, before it could reach him, Garnet surged forward and landed a blow to the imposter's, causing it to stumble. Taking advantage of the window of opportunity, Steven quickly exited the beach house and began to run towards the town in search of his father.

Garnet watched as her adversary got up and gave her a menacing glare.

"Huh," the deceiver commented. "And despite your comrade's fate, you still choose to get in my way. Gems like you never learn."

"I won't let you hurt anyone else," the red fusion stated defiantly.

"Oh, please," the imposter replied. "You really think you can stop me? I haven't lost a fight in thousands of years. And I've destroyed gems much more powerful than you."

"I'm stronger than you think," Garnet said

"Your persistence is beginning to prove to be excessively troublesome," the gem stated, assuming a fighting stance. "This battle has lost its luster. Prepare to die." Garnet lunged forward and swung at the impersonator's head. Much to her surprise, it dodged the attack with little effort. Recovering, the red gem continued her assault, but found it impossible to hit the imposter. As she continued her furious chain of attacks, she began to slow down. Swinging wildly, the red gem overshot one of her attacks and stumbled momentarily. Seeing this, the evil gem seized the opening in her defenses and delivered a single crushing blow to Garnet's back, slamming her into the ground. The red gem tried to get up, but the impersonator pinned her down. She struggled to break free of the evil gem's grip but to no avail. Seeing this, the cruel imposter smiled and shape-shifted its arm into a massive blade.

"For a fusion, you certainly aren't that impressive" it mocked, pressing the blade to Garnet's throat. "Oh well. Any last words?"

"If you lay a finger on Steven," the red gem threatened. "You'll regret it."

"I'm sure I won't," the deceiver retorted. Without warning, the gem thrust the blade downward, piercing the gem in Garnet's right hand and shattering the gemstone in her palm. Her body disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Ruby struggling in the gem's grip.

"Sapphire!" the small red gem yelled, looking over at the blue shards glimmering beside her. "Sapphire! I won't let you get away with…" Her rant was cut short as the gem planted the blade firmly between her eyes. Ruby's body disappeared, and her gem clattered to the ground. With one final stroke, the murderous imposter shattered the small red stone, putting an end to the brave gem warrior.

 _Many hours later:_

The sound of Steven's footsteps rang through the silent night as he approached the entrance to his house. Though he had been told to go somewhere safe, the young gem felt that he should go back in case they needed help. After a very long conversation, he had managed to convince his dad to let him go back. Upon reaching the front door, he slowly opened it, being cautious not to make too much noise. Stepping inside, he scanned the dimly lit room for any sign of danger. Much to his surprise, he found Garnet sitting on the couch.

"Hello, Steven," the red gem said calmly.

"Oh, hey Garnet," he responded. He walked over and sat down beside her.

"What happened to the gem?" he asked. "Did you win?"

"Yes," the tall gem answered tersely, looking over at the entrance to the temple.

"That's good," Steven commented. "That gem kinda scared me,"

"Really?" Garnet asked. Without warning, she grabbed Steven's shoulders and turned to face him. Her glasses dissolved, revealing a terrifying, eyeless gaze. Seeing his fear, she smiled showing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"Do I scare you?"


	15. Secret

Secret

The horrifying gaze of the cruel gem imposter bore into Steven's wild, tearful eyes, eviscerating his meager resolve. The gem's malevolent presence seemed to suck the oxygen out of the room. It gazed down at the young boy as he struggled in its grip. Seeing his fear, it gave a wide grin, its blade-like teeth gleaming in the dim light. Seeing this, Steven increased his efforts to escape the gem's hold. Much to his surprise, the vile alien released him with little resistance, causing him to roll onto the floor. Standing quickly, he backed away from the imposter. The gem remained seated, watching him with unholy glee.

"Y-y-you're not Garnet," Steven stuttered. "W-w-where…where's the real Garnet?" The gem motioned behind him without a word. Turning, he noticed the two small piles of gem shards on the ground. The murderous intruder watched with amusement as he ran over to the broken gems and fell to his knees, sobbing profusely at the sight of his fallen comrades. Steven's tears gently fell onto the glimmering shards as he struggled with the reality of the situation. Memories of his destroyed caretakers flashed through his mind. Steven's thoughts returned to Amethyst's death, and his crying intensified. The gems had always been there to protect him from danger. They had consoled him in times of need. They had spent years caring for him and raising him. And in mere hours, they had been ripped away by an unknown evil.

Wracked with grief, he barely noticed the sound of footsteps behind him. At once, he was ripped from his moment of agony as the gem lifted him up and threw him across the room. The mourning child slammed into the couch and rubbed his aching head. Looking up, he watched as the gem's form once again began to change. The sadistic being's body shifted as it slowly advanced towards him. As it reached the couch, it finally took shape. Steven watched as the gem, now a nightmarish imitation of him, sat down on couch beside him. The evil creature looked over at him, its milky white eyes sharply contrasted to its cracked, rotting skin.

The young gem quickly debated putting up a fight, but relinquished the thought. He knew that the gems had been much more powerful than he was. If they had been unable to stop the murderous villain, then he stood little chance. His mind once again returned to the slaughter of his family, and a fresh wave of tears came. Unable to regain his composure, he buried his face in his hands and sobbed, waiting for the violent end. Much to his surprise, death did not become him.

Steven looked up, his vision blurred by tears. He managed to make out the terrifying imposter sitting silently, a look of curiosity, amusement, and mild impatience plastered on its face. Steven wiped his eyes as he struggled to regain his composure.

"You know," the gem began, "I never understood why small humans do that so much more than bigger humans." Steven sniffled before managing to half-heartedly cock one eye brow. Seeing this, the gem elaborated.

"It seems that whenever I approach a smaller human, it generally elicits the response I just produced from you. Conversely, larger humans seem to be more aggressive when they encounter me. I was never sure quite whether it was a sort of defense mechanism, or whether it had to do with the composition of humans at different stages in their development." The gem stopped and thought for a moment. "Given, torturing or killing any kind of human generally stimulated that sort of response, in my experience." At the morbid comment, Steven's breathe once again caught in his throat, and tears came unbidden to his eyes. At the resurgence of his fear, the gem became visibly annoyed.

"I can wait," it commented sarcastically. "I've been waiting for thousands of years already. What's a little longer to me?" It waited while Steven continued to vent his emotions. Finally, his crying reduced to sniffling and hiccupping. He looked up at the gem, who gave him a smile.

"Finally," the gem commented, "we can talk." Steven sat up and looked the gem over.

"Who are you?" the anxious boy asked. The gem stopped and pondered for several seconds before shrugging.

"I suppose it's only fair that I introduce myself properly." Without warning, the imposter's form began to shrivel and contort once more. The color drained from the imposter as its body unraveled, exposing magical veins and crystalline bone. Finally, the shapeshifting process ceased, and the accursed gem stood up. Steven looked up at the being nervously.

The gem stood slightly shorter than Pearl, with short, white hair. It wore light, crystal armor which gleamed in the moonlight. Most terrifying of all were its hollow, white eyes, which burned with unholy intent. It looked down at small boy, and its piercing gaze bore through his soul.

"My name is Ulexite," the gem stated calmly, her voice like the whispering wind. "And you're Steven, right?"

"How do you know my name?" the young boy asked, his voice wavering.

"I've been watching you for a little while now," Ulexite answered. "I landed here on Earth a few weeks ago. I was sent to this planet with orders to eliminate you and the other gems. However, there were some things which I opted to take care of while I was here before that."

"So…why aren't you trying to…" Steven began.

"…kill you?" the vile imposter interjected. "Well, a few reasons. First, my orders are to kill _Rose Quartz_. While you have her gem, it's obvious that you aren't her. I'm actually curious as to how you came about. Second, Rose took something that is very valuable to me. And the only one who might know where to find it is _you_. I can't kill you just yet." Steven gulped.

"If I help you, maybe you could…not kill me?" he suggested. Ulexite let out a chuckle.

"Hahaha…no. I'm going to murder you at some point. The only difference will be in how I choose to kill you. If you cooperate, then your demise will be swift and mostly painless. Now, what exactly _are_ you?" Steven quickly looked towards the door.

"Try to escape, and I'll make you hurt in ways you could not imagine," Ulexite threatened. "I won't ask again."

Seeing no other option, Steven explained his physiology and origins to the Homeworld assassin. Ulexite listened intently, occasionally interjecting to clarify a point or ask a question. After the young gem finished his story, his captor sat back to digest the information.

"So gems are capable of procreating with humans. I would have never imagined that a gem would attempt something like that. Then again, I'm not surprised. If any gem would breed with a human being, Rose would. She always was soft…" The gem sat up again and looked at the half-gem, who was gazing down at the floor nervously.

"Well, then," Ulexite began. "Now I just need to find the item Rose took, and then I can euthanize you and leave this worthless planet." Steven shrunk back fearfully.

"W-what is it?" he asked, terror causing his voice to waver.

"It's just a gem contraption that I helped to develop during the war. One of Rose's subordinates seized it from one of mine, and hid it away. Its purpose doesn't concern you."

Steven couldn't help but wonder why the assassin was being so cryptic in her description of the item. So far, she hadn't given a very detailed explanation of the apparatus, leaving Steven to question its appearance and purpose. He looked over at the other end of the room, where the shattered remains of Ruby and Sapphire still shined in the dim light. Suddenly, realization dawned on the young boy.

"…It's a weapon, isn't it," he stated slowly. "That's why mom took it. You made a weapon to destroy humans. Or gems. And she didn't want to let you hurt anyone else."

"It destroys both actually," Ulexite answered bluntly. "And you're going to help me find it regardless." Steven froze as the gravity of the situation hit him. He knew that if he helped Ulexite, countless others would die. A fierce defiance swelled in his chest.

"No!" he screamed. "I won't help you! I won't let you hurt anyone else! I heard what you did in the message from Sodalite! You killed a lot of gems! And humans! You destroyed Amethyst and Garnet! I'll never help you!" At his bold refusal, Ulexite summoned her weapon and pointed it menacingly at Steven.

"I'm warning you," she spat. "You have one more chance."

"You can't kill me," the brave child asserted. "You need me." The cruel imposter stopped and pondered his comment.

"Hmm…you're right. But I have ways of making you…"

The violent exchange between the duo was interrupted as the door to the beach house opened. Much to Steven's surprise, Connie ran into the room, her eyes wild.

"Steven!" she yelled frantically. "Greg called and told me that you were in trouble! What…" She stopped when she saw the pale gem assassin glaring at her. Seeing the opportunity, Ulexite smiled.

"Connie!" Steven cried. "Run! Get out of here!" At this, the worried girl turned and started for the door. As she was about to escape, Ulexite lunged, grabbing her by the collar. Swinging her around, the evil gem slammed her head into the wall. With a single swift strike, she brought Connie to her knees. Laughing maniacally, the gem lifted her up and pressed its knife to her throat.

"Not a word or you die!" Ulexite said to Connie, running the blade along her neck, "Now Steven, I believe we can reach an agreement. You help me find the weapon, and I don't rip your friend to pieces. Does that sound fair to you?" Steven nodded nervously, struggling to hold back another wave of tears.

"O-okay," he answered. "Just please don't hurt her!"

"Well, then, I would guess that Rose probably hid it somewhere that she could keep watch over it. Where did your comrades store important gem artifacts when they found them?"

"We'd keep them in the temple." Steven answered grimly. He hated helping the sadistic gem, but couldn't think of a way to save both himself and Connie.

"Take me there," Ulexite demanded, keeping the knife at Connie's throat. At the assassin's order, Steven opened his mother's room and ushered the murderous gem inside. After a brief trek through the bowels of the magical temple, the trio found themselves in the burning room. Ulexite looked around the room in search of the gem. Failing to locate it, she turned to Steven.

"I don't see it." she stated. "You better not be wasting my time!"

Steven looked around the chamber, searching desperately for anything that resembled a weapon. Seeing the countless bubbled gems, an idea dawned on him.

"I know what can help us find it!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Ulexite asked. The pale gem watched as the young boy climbed up the side of the chamber. Without warning, Steven summoned his shield and threw it, popping several bubbles. His cruel captor stepped back as three gems clattered to the floor and began to reform. In moments, a trio of massive gem creatures stood before the Homeworld assassin, each irate from its imprisonment. Seeing that she would need to defend herself, Ulexite quickly knocked out Connie with a blow to the head and assumed a fighting stance.


	16. Friends

Friends

The pit of lava cast a crimson light throughout the burning room, illuminating the countless floating gemstones with an otherworldly glow. Shadows played on the walls of the dimly lit chamber, dancing silently about the assembly of gems. Ulexite slowly scanned the room, watching the trio of monstrous gems as they remained poised, waiting to lash out at their newfound prey. The gem assassin glanced over at the troublesome young boy who had released the creatures. His gaze met hers, and he visibly shuddered. Noticing the break in her attention, two of the corrupted gems surged forward at the Homeworld imposter. She quickly sidestepped the attack and jumped to the other end of the room in an attempt to gain some breathing room. The monsters turned and continued their ravenous assault on the cruel gem.

Steven watched the exchange for a few moments before turning his attention to Connie. The young girl was sprawled limply on the floor, oblivious to the brutality raging around her. His apprehension reaching critical mass, Steven surveyed the battle once more. Ulexite continued to dance about the corrupted gems as they assailed her ferociously. He decided that it was safe to make his escape, and dashed across the chamber towards Connie.

"Connie!" he yelled as he ran towards his incapacitated friend. "Connie! Wake up! We need to get…" A loud noise echoed through the chamber, causing Steven to freeze. He turned his attention towards the skirmish once more, and let out a surprised gasp. The corrupted gems had ceased attacking Ulexite, and had turned on one another. The vile gem stood a short distance from the warring creatures, a look of sadistic satisfaction plastered on her face. She turned towards the fleeing boy, and a shiver ran up his spine. Steven continued his mad sprint towards Connie, not wanting to linger near his murderous captor. However, his daring escape attempt was suddenly interrupted as something barreled into him, ramming him into the ground.

Steven rubbed his head and looked up, only to find the third gem creature glaring down at him intently. He recognized the beast as the lizard gem from the communication hub. The creature's glowing yellow eyes burned like fire in the crimson glow of the lava. Steven backed away fearfully, trying desperately to concoct a plan to escape. As he tried to stand, the monster lunged forward, pinning him to the ground. Steven quickly summoned his shield and swung upward in retaliation. The corrupted gem managed to evade the attack, and stepped back several paces. Still, the attack had the desired effect; free of the creature's weight, the young boy managed to stand and gather his wits. Turning, he located Connie a short distance away. As he broke into a run, the lizard-like gem released a massive blast of sand at him. Unable to dodge, the projectile struck him full force, sending him crashing into the wall.

Steven rubbed his head, vainly hoping for the world to stop spinning. Looking up, he noticed the gleaming shards of two of the corrupted gems lying on the floor. A loud thud reached his ears and he glanced over at Ulexite, who was engaging the lizard-like gem. The vile imposter deftly dodged a blast of sand from the creature and jumped, landing on its back. Summoning, her weapon, she sunk the dagger into the creature's back. It let out a piercing cry and began to thrash and buck, trying desperately to throw its assailant. The white gem jumped, twirling gracefully in the air before landing in front of the maddened creature. The corrupted gem turned to face its opponent, only for the assassin to thrust her knife into its gem. The monster let out one final shriek before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Fear gripped Steven as he watched the shards of the creature clatter to the temple floor. A rush of adrenaline surged through him, giving him the strength to stand. Without hesitation, he made a mad dash for Connie, who was still unconscious on the floor. His daring escape was thwarted as Ulexite overtook him. The malevolent assassin grabbed him by his shirt and swiftly whirled around, slamming him into the ground. Continuing her momentum, she hurled the brave half-gem into the wall. Before Steven could recover, his attacker closed the distance between them. She stood over him, frustration evident in her features.

"You know," Ulexite drawled as she watched the young boy struggled to stand, "I expected some degree of protest from you. But I never would have thought you stupid enough to exhibit such flagrant defiance." Steven pressed his back against the wall, shivering despite the heat in the room.

"W-what are you going to do to me?" he stammered. The cruel gem smiled sadistically.

"Nothing," the vile assassin replied. "I still need your help to find my weapon." A meek voice from across the room interrupted them.

"Steven?" The young gem turned to find Connie sitting up, rubbing her head. He watched as Ulexite lunged at the dazed girl and pinned her to the ground.

"Connie!" Steven cried.

"Still," the sadistic gem started, "someone needs to pay for your disobedience. And your friend is of little use to me."

"Steven!" Connie yelled as she struggled in the gem's grip. "Help me!" She watched in terror as her merciless captor materialized her weapon and grinned deviously. Without warning, the cruel gem plunged the weapon into Connie's arm, eliciting an agonized cry from the innocent girl. After another moment, the Homeworld spy dispelled her weapon and grabbed hold of Connie's injured limb. With a pull, the vile gem ripped the appendage from her body as Steven looked on in horror. She glanced over at the young half-gem, relishing the abject terror brimming in his eyes. The cold-blooded gem stood and lifted the screaming girl as she clutched her excruciating injury.

"Connie!" Steven yelled, unable to hold back tears. "No! No! Stop it! Connie!" A wave of nausea came over him, forcing him to lean against the wall.

"Hmmm, I should probably keep you alive," she commented to her tortured hostage. "You could be an excellent incentive for him to help me." Connie barely put up a fight as the gem dragged her to the lava pit in the center. Without hesitation, Ulexite grabbed her arm and pressed it into the magma to cauterize the wound, causing the poor girl to pass out in the process. Satisfied with her handiwork, the unfeeling gem pulled her captive away from the bubbling magma. Slinging Connie's limp body over her shoulder, she turned to face Steven.

"Now you see what happens when you don't listen to my instructions," she said calmly. "Next time this happens, she'll lose more than an arm. So, are you going to cause me any more trouble, Steven?" Sniffling and hiccupping, the mortified boy nodded his head slowly.

"Good," Ulexite continued. "We're leaving." At her command, Steven followed her out of the temple. Stepping out into the beach house, the violent gem walked to the front door and stepped outside, Steven and Connie in tow.

Stepping outside, Steven followed his captor down the stairs onto the beach. Looking around, he was surprised to find Lion napping underneath the beach house, entirely oblivious to his dismal situation. The young boy quickly considered enlisting Lion to help him escape. One look at Connie's charred arm dissolved the notion. Steven refused to put his friend in any more danger.

"Where else could Rose have hid it," Ulexite queried, surveying the town. Steven stopped and thought for a moment. His gaze settled on Lion, and an idea came to him.

"Maybe she hid it in Lion's mane," he stated.

"I wasn't aware Rose had any such creature associated with her," Ulexite mused. "Go see if she did, then. If you don't come back soon, though, I will put an end to your friend." Shuddering at her threat, Steven wasted no time in jogging over to Lion and gently waking him.

"Sorry Lion," he said with a grim smile. "I'll only be a minute." Not waiting for the pink guardian's response, Steven leapt into his mane.

Emerging from the unusual grass of the pocket dimension, Steven began to walk towards the lone tree in the middle of the landscape. After a short walk, he managed to reach his destination. The young boy surveyed the area, examining the relics of a mother he never knew. Looking up, he noticed a single bubbled gemstone floating among the miscellaneous items. He reached up and grabbed it, examining the unusual grooves and lines running along the gem.

"This might be it," he thought. Without hesitating, he ran down the hill and dived into the tall grass.

Emerging from Lion's mane, Steven stood and dusted himself off. He quickly walked over to Ulexite, who was busy watching the ebb and flow of the tide as it clawed at the moonlit shore.

"Back already?" she commented. "I sincerely hope you did not return empty-handed."

"Is this it?" Steven asked, presenting the bubbled gem to the murderous gem, who took it and examined it for a few moments.

"No, this isn't it," she commented with a grin. "This is Bismuth. Ah, yes, I remember this gem. But it isn't what I'm looking for. You can put this back where you found it." She handed the gemstone back to Steven, who ran over and put it back in Lion's mane before returning to the assassin.

"Rose would have hid it somewhere known only to her," Ulexite stated. "Somewhere away from the prying eyes of the Homeworld and the other Crystal Gems…" As Steven thought about his captor's statement, another thought came to him.

"There's one more place we could look…"

 _Elsewhere…_

Profound silence echoed through the small cavern which housed Rose's secret armory. At once, the halcyon quiet was broken as a portal opened. Lion jumped out of the rift, carrying Steven and Ulexite, who was still carrying Connie. The magical cat sat down, allowing the duo to disembark.

"So she had a secret armory," Ulexite mused as she surveyed the cave. "I always figured there was some secret place, but could never find it."

"Yeah," Steven answered as he walked up to the platform l in the center of the chamber. "Lion showed me this place when I was with Connie." He placed his hand on the pedestal and began to sift through the countless artifacts in search of the weapon. Ulexite stood beside him silently, her impatience growing as their search continued to prove fruitless.

"Enough stalling," she stated coldly. "Find it now or else." She hit Steven across the back of his head, causing him to stumble. Much to her surprise, a hole opened in the floor and a single, bubbled stone emerged.

"There it is!" Ulexite said. The evil imposter walked over and grabbed the bubble. Leaving the pedestal, Steven approached the pitch-black stone and examined it. Countless black spikes protruded from the weapon, giving it the appearance of a sea urchin. An unholy light shone from the center of the gem, causing the points of the needles to glimmer like stars.

"We got what we came for," Ulexite ordered. "Let's go."

The group returned to the beach, where the sun had just begun to peek over the horizon. Dismounting Lion, Steven turned to the heartless gem, who was busy examining the black stone.

"Alright, I helped you," he stated coldly. "Now let her go." At the young boy's demand, Ulexite smiled maliciously and summoned her weapon. She set down the bubbled stone and lifted Connie up by her hair, causing the injured girl to wake with a start.

"What are you…" Steven began. Without warning, the sadistic imposter swung her weapon in a short arc, cleaving through Connie's neck in one swift motion. Time seemed to hang silently for a moment as the whir of the blade tore through the silence of the morning.

The young girl's body fell into the sand noiselessly.

* * *

A word from the author:

Hello everyone! I just wanted to take a minute to thank all my wonderful readers for their continued support. Happy holidays, and have a great New Year!

-Lotus


	17. It Came With Us

It Came With Us

"Connie!"

Steven stared down at his friend's limp body in the sand. The rising sun bathed the beach in golden light, giving the tragic scene a surreal feeling. Connie's lifeless eyes gazed out at the sun, watching as the darkness receded and gave way to a stunning dawn. The sand around her prone form glimmered like stars that danced about the fallen child. Steven took a tenuous step backward, shivering uncontrollably from the brutal act he had just witnessed. He looked up at Ulexite, barely able to make out her features through the tears blurring his vision. The young gem's strength left him, and he fell to his knees.

"C-C-Connie (sniff)?" he managed to stutter. "Connie? I…(sniff)…you…but..." Ulexite watched the grieving half-gem's emotions flow with minor annoyance.

"This is precisely what I was explaining about small humans," the cruel gem mused, gesturing to Steven. "It seems exceedingly easy to trigger this response. Even more so from you. Perhaps your unique physiology is responsible." Steven lifted his head, gazing half-heartedly at his captor.

"W-why?" he asked between sobs.

"Hm?" Ulexite queried.

"Why did you kill Connie?" he answered. The vile assassin gave a small smile.

"Because it's fun," she replied. The white gem watched as Steven stood and wiped his tears, looking down at his fallen friend.

"She never did anything to you!" he cried. "Neither did Garnet, Amethyst, or Pearl! Why did you just start hurting the people I love?"

"Because I was sent here to do so," Ulexite asserted.

"You promised that you wouldn't hurt her if I helped you," Steven continued.

"Well, first, that statement is inaccurate," the Homeworld assassin corrected. "I never said she would be safe if you helped me. I merely expressed that she would die if you didn't." Her young captive looked at her disdainfully.

"And more importantly," she continued, "I never laid a finger on your friend."

"What?" Steven replied, utterly perplexed by the gem's assertion.

"You heard me," Ulexite responded coolly. "I never harmed her."

"You…you killed her!" Steven yelled, confusion and pain roiling in his soul.

"Did I?" the Homeworld gem asked with amusement. Steven looked down and froze.

Connie's body had disappeared.

The traumatized boy frantically surveyed the dimly lit beach, searching for any sign of his dear friend's remains. Suddenly, realization came upon him.

"Connie…" he began.

"…was never here," Ulexite finished. "It was only you, me, and your pet. 'Connie' was merely an illusory construct of my own creation. Still, you've been extremely cooperative in helping me retrieve my weapon." The deceitful gem held out the bubbled stone, admiring it in the brilliant rays of the sunrise.

"And now you're going to destroy Earth with it, aren't you?" he posed dejectedly. Much to his surprise, his wicked captor burst into laughter. Ulexite struggled to regain her composure before responding.

"Oh, that's hilarious," she explained, still chuckling. "You think I would waste this on your pathetic planet? Please. Once I leave this world, a Homeworld fleet will move in and eliminate your worthless race. No, my machinations are far greater. I intend to use this on the Homeworld itself."

"What? Why?" Steven asked, terrified by the insanity burning in the imposter's eyes.

"I have my motives," the despicable gem answered. "Gems are truly abhorrent, just as humans are. They must both be eliminated. And besides, who else could say they caused two separate apocalypses?" Steven took a step back, horror-stricken.

"But…lots of innocent people will die! And innocent gems!" he cried. "You can't do that to them!"

"Child, there _are_ no innocent humans or gems," Ulexite replied pointedly. "And I've already killed a nearly unquantifiable number of both. A few more deaths by my hand would be of little consequence to me. Speaking of which…" The genocidal assassin put away the bubbled gem and summoned her knife. "…the time has come to end you now. You've served your purpose. I assure you, it's nothing personal."

Steven's breath hitched in his throat, and his train of thought derailed as he gazed at the lethal gem before him. Suddenly, basic instincts gripped him, and he turned and dashed down the beach towards the city. Adrenaline rushed through him as he surged towards Beach City, his murderous assailant in pursuit. Ulexite was slowly closing the distance between them, her knife bared threateningly. In a desperate attempt to slow her down, the fleeing half-gem summoned his shield and spun around, hurling it at Ulexite without breaking his momentum. She managed to block the pink weapon, but the maneuver gave Steven precious seconds to escape her grasp. Reaching the edge of town, Steven quickened his pace. As he passed the Big Donut, he began to wonder where he could be safe. The gems were gone, so the temple wasn't an option anymore…

His planning was cut short as he stumbled, falling roughly onto the pavement. Looking up, the panicked half-gem located his attacker a short distance away, slowly approaching. Silhouetted in the sunlight, the sadistic gem looked like a malevolent specter, growing more imposing with each measured step. Finally, Ulexite stopped in front of him and ran her fingers along her gleaming blade.

"So this was the best effort you could put forth?" she commented. "I honestly had hoped for some defiant last stand, maybe a speech about freedom or the value of life or some other inconsequential moral. Still, I am certainly content with gutting you where you lie." The merciless cutthroat raised her knife in preparation to deliver the killing blow.

"Hey!" a voice rang out. The duo turned to find a young blonde woman approaching them, a broom in her hand and an angry expression on her face.

"Sadie!" Steven exclaimed, both relieved and distressed by his friend's appearance. "Run! Get out of here! It's too dangerous!"

"Look," the displeased woman stated, ignoring her young friend as she walked up to Ulexite, "I don't know who you are or what you think you're doing, but you better back off. Steven's a good kid, and I won't let you hurt him." Taking advantage of the break in the action, Steven got to his feet and backed away from his assailant, who continued to listen to Sadie.

"If you want to get to him, you'll have to get through me," she said bravely, brandishing her broom menacingly.

"Poorly chosen last words," Ulexite responded with unholy glee. Before Sadie could react, the vile gem surged forward and grabbed her by the collar, relishing as the blonde woman struggled in her grip.

"Steven…run…" Sadie gasped as she squirmed. Steven summoned his shield in preparation to attack, but quickly reconsidered his decision. He knew that Ulexite was too powerful to defeat; if he stayed, both he and Sadie would get killed.

"I'm sorry, Sadie," he muttered tearfully. Swallowing his regret, he turned and ran down the street. As Steven turned the next corner, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the silent morning. Another wave of guilt gripped Steven, but he continued to flee the despicable assassin as quickly as he could. Surveying his surroundings, Steven noticed his dad's car wash up ahead. A glimmer of hope welled in his chest, and he surged forward towards his father's van. As he was about to reach the vehicle, something crashed into him from above, slamming him into the concrete. He struggled to escape, but found himself unable to break free.

"Well," Ulexite said, as she shifted her grip on her crimson-stained knife, "time for you to die." The deplorable assassin lifted her blade and swung down at Steven with frightening force. The young gem blocked the blow, causing the blade to graze his shoulder. Raising the weapon, his assailant struck again; he countered, wincing as he suffered another wound.

Steven managed to summon his shield, but he was unable to stymie the unwavering assault. The duo continued their violent exchange. With each vicious strike, Steven felt his resistance crumble a little more. His injuries began to take their toll, and fatigue began to overtake the half-gem. Just as his strength was about to fail, a loud _clang_ rang out and he was freed from Ulexite's clutches. He weakly looked up to find Greg standing over him, brandishing a waffle iron.

"Get off my son!" the musician spat. He looked down at the wounded boy with concern.

"Steven!"

"Dad…" Steven commented weakly. "We need to…escape…van…."

"Okay, let's go," Greg replied with a nod. He picked up his injured son and carried him to the van with surprising alacrity. He helped Steven get in before starting the engine. Looking up, he noticed the Homeworld assassin standing in front of the van. Her form began to contort, growing steadily. Seeing no other option, Greg put his foot down on the gas pedal, driving straight into the gem. The vehicle hit Ulexite head-on, sending her sprawling across the ground. The evil gem watched the vehicle turn and zoom down the street.

"Oh well." she commented calmly, standing and dusting off, "A minor setback."

 _The next day_ …

The trek to Steven's house had been an extremely unsettling journey for Connie. She hadn't heard from him since his return to the city, and her phone calls had gone unanswered. With the unusual happenings he had described, the young girl had become extremely worried about his safety. Earlier that morning, she had resolved to travel to Beach City and find him in person. Her mom had dropped her in the middle of the city, which had been eerily silent. After walking a few blocks, she had finally discovered where the residents were. Most of the town had gathered around the Big Donut. Upon approaching the disturbingly disquieted group, she finally saw the gruesome scene which had caught the town's attention.

Connie hadn't really known Sadie very well. She had spent some time with her during the reconstruction of Beach City. Whatever had killed her, Connie was sure she hadn't deserved it. The brutal scene had further exacerbated her concern over Steven's disappearance; the young girl wasted no time in reaching the temple. Now, standing at the entrance to the beach house, a feeling of dread welled in her chest.

She opened the door and walked inside the quiet abode, her apprehension growing in the profound silence. Connie gripped the small sword in her hands, grateful her mother had allowed her to keep one in case of emergencies. Scanning the deserted abode, she couldn't help but wonder whether Steven was actually okay.

"Why hello, my dear," a voice behind her greeted her cordially. Connie whirled about and assumed a fighting stance. She found a white gem reclining on the couch, a grin plastered on her face.

"Who are you?" Connie asked harshly, shifting her stance. "Where are Steven and the gems?"

"That's not a very polite way to greet someone, Connie," the gem reprimanded calmly.

"How do you know my name?" the discomforted girl asked, taking a step back nervously.

"My name is Ulexite. Steven and I had a chance to, shall we say, get acquainted" the gem answered. "His father escaped from this city with him a short while ago. And you are going to help me draw him back." Connie pointed her sword at the gem.

"What makes you think I'd help you?" she queried defiantly, glaring into the mysterious intruder's eyes. Seeing the brave girl's defiance caused Ulexite to chuckle. She stood up and a malevolent aura permeated the house, sending a shiver down Connie's spine.

"You're going to help me," the gem stated as she summoned her knife, "whether you want to or not."

"You'll…you'll have to make me," Connie asserted, her courage faltering in the gem's presence."

"I'd like nothing more…" Ulexite retorted sadistically.


	18. Destroyed

Destroyed

"What do you even want with Steven?"

Ulexite looked at the defiant girl before her, watching as she adjusted her shaky fighting stance. The white gem ran her fingers along her knife, and a small smile came to her.

"It's purely business," she replied, an unsettling serenity hanging about each word. "My superiors are discontented with his continued existence. They sent me to remedy the situation."

"So you're going to _kill him?_ " asked Connie, her eyes gleaming with terror.

"I would, if he was still in the vicinity," Ulexite responded matter-of-factly. "As the current situation stands, I can't locate him. However, by my good fortune, you came to me." The brooding gem stepped forward. "And I know he'll come to you."

Connie struggled to control her quivering. Her attention turned to the front door, and she began to formulate an escape plan.

"Try to escape," the gem assassin threatened, "and I will redefine your conception of pain." Another shiver shot down Connie's spine, and her escape plan fled her mind.

"Now," she continued, "listen to my instructions carefully, and I may spare you my retribution."

"No!" the terrified girl yelled. "There's no way I'm going to help you!" Ulexite's grin stretched into a sick smile, showing a row of blade-like fangs.

"Oh, how I enjoy humans…" she mused evilly.

The alien cutthroat was upon Connie in an instant.

The young sword-fighter jumped back, narrowly avoiding the cruel gem's knife. Ulexite quickly recovered, whirled around, and lashed out again. Her horrified victim managed to dodge once more, causing her to lose momentum. Seizing the opportunity, Connie launched a counterattack; much to her surprise, the gem infiltrator sidestepped the strike and renewed her offensive. Connie failed to evade, and Ulexite's knife skimmed her shoulder. Reeling from the blow, the fearful girl lost her balance and fell to the floor. Spinning around, she barely managed to parry another attack from the relentless alien. In the momentary standstill, Connie stood and pressed the offensive. The duo continued their fatal dance, endlessly parrying and reposting as each stalwart combatant strived to gain the upper hand. Their blades sang as they clashed, cutting through the haunting silence of the abandoned abode.

"Unfortunately, little one," the cruel gem spat, "your defiance has forced me to exercise a more physical method of persuasion." She attacked once more, grazing the girl's cheek. "While I will likely enjoy this, I am certain you will be less than pleased." Connie said nothing as she struggled to get up.

"You exhibit unusual prowess for a human," Ulexite commented. The assassin dispelled her knife and grinned. Seeing this, Connie lunged at the gem, only for her opponent to dodge the attack effortlessly. Hell-bent on ending the deadly encounter, the young swordfighter redoubled her attack. Ulexite continued to evade, watching the child's futile resistance with mocking amusement. After several minutes of all-out aggression, Connie began to fatigue. Her flurry of blows slowed, and the sword in her hands became unaccountably heavy.

"Ah yes," Ulexite said laughingly as she resummoned her dagger. "It seems you have reached your limit. Now…"

The vile gem surged forward, swinging her knife at the exhausted girl in a wide downward arc. Mustering the last of her strength, Connie jumped back, narrowly avoiding the strike. Unable to regain her balance, the alien imposter stumbled forward.

With a single glorious stroke, the young swordfighter plunged her sword into Ulexite's forehead.

"I…no…" the murderous gem stuttered as she staggered backwards, clutching her head. "This is impossible! Defeated…by a human…no. This can't be! I am one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy! How could you…be…"

Suddenly, she broke into a wide grin.

"…so unbelievably gullible!" Suddenly, the villain's body vanished. Connie looked around, confused by the unusual turn of events. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her roughly by the neck, lifted her up, and slammed her head into the floor. Connie tried to face her attacker, only to be slammed into the floorboards several times. Dazed by the brutal ambush, the battered girl put up no resistance as she was hurled into the kitchen counter. She looked up weakly to find Ulexite towering over her. The evil gem smirked before planting her foot squarely in Connie's chest, eliciting a cry from her victim.

"I must say, it was quite amusing watching you combat thin air" she stated, putting her knife to the child's throat, "So, are you going to listen to me, or must I elicit your cooperation forcefully?" Seeing no other option, the young girl nodded sadly.

"Excellent," Ulexite said with a cruel grin. "Activate your mobile communication device and contact Steven." Reluctantly, Connie took out her cell phone and dialed Steven's number. Without warning, her violent captor ripped the device from her hands. Ulexite quickly morphed into an exact duplicate of her captive and put the phone to her ear. After listening to the monotonous dial tone and Steven's voicemail message, the monstrous gem spoke.

"Steven, this is Connie." The gem stated, mock fear woven into the flawless impression of the girl. "I need your help. There's a white gem of some sort after me. I don't know who she is, but she keeps trying to kill me. I just barely managed to escape her last time. I tried to find you, but you and the gems seem to have disappeared. Please, if you get this, meet me tomorrow morning by the lighthouse. I need you." The sadistic imposter hung up before crushing the phone in her hand.

"Now then," she commented, leaning closer to the Connie, "let's see what we can do to remedy your disobedience…"

 _Elsewhere…_

Fear clouded Steven's features as he listened to the message on his cellphone. His discomfort grew steadily as the recording played, causing apprehension to well in his chest. Finally, the voicemail ended, and the young gem put his phone away.

"What is it?" Greg asked as he carefully applied a bandage to a deep cut on his son's cheek.

"It's Connie," he replied sadly, wincing as his father applied disinfectant to another wound. "She's in trouble. Ulexite's going after her now."

"So what do you want to do?" Greg asked as he finished patching the wound. "I don't think it's safe to go back." Steven failed to respond, his mind lost in thought. Seeing his son's distress, the troubled father turned his attention back to the task at hand. After carefully tending to a few more cuts, Greg gathered up the medical supplies he had purchased and put them away.

"All done," the aging musician commented. He stepped back, examining his meager attempt to treat Steven's injuries.

"Thanks, dad," Steven replied quietly. He looked around the quiet motel room, morbid scenarios swirling in his disturbed mind.

After barely escaping Ulexite, Greg had driven his injured son out of Beach City as quickly as he could. Still fearing for their safety, he had traveled to Keystone, where he had picked up supplies to help Steven. He had also procured a room in the motel he and Steven had stayed at last time they visited Keystone. The next few hours had been spent comforting his traumatized child and treating his wounds.

"We need to go back," Steven contributed suddenly.

"What?" Greg asked, surprised by his assertion.

"We have to save her," he continued. "If we don't, Ulexite will…" Greg watched his son take a deep, shuddering breath.

"It's not safe," Greg explained. "With that gem still in Beach City, it's just too dangerous. You barely escaped last time, and look what happened!" He gestured to Steven's numerous injuries.

"But if we leave Connie…" the young gem began.

"You're my son!" his father yelled. "I won't let you risk your life again!"

"And Connie's my friend!" Steven retorted. "I can't leave her! Not like Sadie…" Greg froze, watching the pain brimming in his son's eyes.

"What if it's a trap?" Greg asked quietly. Steven thought for a moment.

"I can't lose you again!" his father cried. "I already lost Rose. You're all the family I have left…" Steven watched as Greg sat down on a bed, wiping his eyes. Standing up, the worried half-gem walked over to his dad and hugged him.

"Okay dad, I'll stay." he said. Touched by his son's gesture, Greg picked him up and returned the hug. The worried father sat still, listening to the young boy's heart pounding in his chest.

 _The next morning…_

Steven sat by the pool, kicking his feet in the water while he watched the sun slowly peak over the horizon. He reached into his pocket, produced his cellphone, and checked the time.

 _6:26 A.M._

Replacing the device with a sigh, the young gem shifted his position, wincing as an injury on his side protested the movement. The young boy had been sitting there for several hours. Sleep had eluded him, and he had surrendered to insomnia after a while. Concerns over Connie's condition consumed his waking thoughts.

A sound from behind him drew his attention. Turning, Steven was surprised to find a large, pink cat sitting behind him, quietly watching him wallow in his internal turmoil.

"Lion!" he exclaimed as he stood and walked over to the magical guardian. The troubled half-gem reached down and stroked his friend's mane, producing a low growl of approval from the gentle creature.

"Oh Lion," Steven said mournfully. "Why did this have to happen? Why can't everyone just get along? His magical companion said nothing, his gaze fixed on the troubled boy.

"I don't know what to do, Lion," he continued. "I know that dad wants me to stay for my own safety, but if I don't save Connie, who knows what could happen to her! I can't let anyone else get hurt because of me! I already lost Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Sadie! I can't let Ulexite get Connie, too…" Steven looked over at Lion. "What should I do?" Lion stood for a moment before sitting down and letting out a terse roar.

"You're right," Steven conceded with a smile, understanding Lion's invitation to ride. "We can grab Connie and come right back."

Looking around one more time, Steven mounted Lion, and the noble guardian broke into a swift stride. Letting out another roar, Lion summoned a warp and jumped into it.

Steven emerged from the warp to find himself and Lion at the base of the hill which led to the lighthouse. Dismounting Lion, the young gem turned to his quiet companion.

"Stay here," he said softly. "I'll be back in a minute." Lion let out a low whine, laid down, and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Steven turned and jogged up the hill. Upon reaching the top, he looked around for any sign of Connie. He quickly located her at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the waves rolling endlessly against the sand.

"Connie!" Steven called out. The young girl turned, and her eyes lit up.

"Steven!" she called out excitedly. She quickly ran over to him.

"Wait!" the young half-gem yelled. "How do I know that's you're really you?" Connie paused momentarily.

"We like to watch Under the Knife together," she said. "And watch the snow fall."

"Okay," Steven conceded. "I trust you." Before he could react, Connie jumped forward and wrapped him in a hug, which he returned happily.

"Thank you for coming," she said nervously, releasing him from the hug.

"Where are your parents?" Steven queried. "And why did you ask to meet here."

"I wanted to meet here because no one is around," she answered.

"What?" he questioned. "Why?"

"So no one will notice when I do this." Connie offered.

Before Steven could respond, the young girl surged forward, stepped behind him, and put her arm around his neck. She deftly swept his feet, causing him to stumble into her grip. The terrified gem struggled violently in an attempt to break free. Connie quickly delivered a harsh blow to his head, slamming him to the ground. Steven tried to summon his shield, but was interrupted by a swift kick to the face. His head spinning, he looked up to see her standing over him. He reached up, pleading for her to stop. Seeing this, Connie struck his head one more time.

Steven's strength faded. His consciousness soon followed.

* * *

A word from the author:

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful and safe new year! As this story comes to a close (within a few weeks), I am debating whether or not to continue writing this story arc, and if so, whether you'd prefer a prequel or a sequel. I have opened a poll to get feedback from my readers as to this. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to give feedback. It takes a few moments to do, and is free and completely anonymous. Just follow the link to my profile, and click on the survey link in the middle of the page. You can also vote via personal message or review. Thank you!

-Lotus


	19. Lead to Devastation

Lead to Devastation

The first image Steven saw as he woke was pale stone slowly moving down his field of vision. The confused gem rubbed his eyes and looked around, perplexed by his new surroundings.

"Hmm, so you're finally awake," a voice behind him chimed. He craned his neck to find a massive, muscular gem looking back at him, a haunting grin plastered on its face. Steven immediately recognized the voice as Ulexite's, and survival instincts gripped him. He began to thrash violently in an attempt to free himself from the cutthroat's clutches. The futile escape attempt served only to amuse his captor.

"While your valiant attempt to escape is certainly entertaining, Steven," she commented with a hollow chuckle. "I would advise you to save your strength." The defiant half-gem redoubled his efforts, intent on breaking free of the mad gem. He summoned his shield, only for Ulexite to disarm him with a swift blow to the wrist. The pink weapon clattered to the ground and disappeared immediately.

"If you don't learn to cooperate," the vile assassin stated coldly, "your friend may suffer a lamentable demise."

"What do you…" Steven began.

"Steven?" another voice asked quietly. He turned to find Connie in Ulexite's other hand, gazing at him with pain in her eyes. Her clothes were stained and torn, revealing several cuts and wounds. Scrapes covered her face, and a large bruise surrounded her left eye.

"Connie!" the captive boy cried out, worry causing his voice to waver. "Are you okay?"

"We just had a…friendly conversation," Ulexite explained sarcastically. "I just wanted to understand you better. And she was more than willing to offer some rather enlightening information."

"Steven," Connie interjected timidly. "I'm so sorry. I hadn't heard from you and I was worried that you had been hurt. I went to Beach City to find you but she captured me. She used my phone to send that fake message to you. And then she…she…" The injured girl's voice trailed off, and Steven heard her choke back tears.

"Why do you keep doing this?" he asked furiously. "You had no reason to hurt her…or Sadie."

"I wouldn't have needed to harm her if you hadn't tried to escape," the gem assassin replied matter-of-factly. "With you beyond my reach, I had no choice but to utilize your friend to draw you back. And as I said before…" Ulexite stopped talking as she approached a massive rock wall. Breaking into a run, the powerful impersonator leapt high into the air, clearing the obstacle with little effort.

"…I enjoy it," the cruel gem finished. "Now stop squirming or I'll throw her off this rock.

Temporarily resigned to his captivity, Steven surveyed his surroundings.

A massive aerial expanse extended before the captive boy. Several small islands floated in the pale sky, concealed by billowing clouds swirling endlessly below him. Sporadic patches of foliage could be seen on top of the land masses, drawing a sharp contrast to the pale colors of the macabre skyscape. Several mountaintops cut through the blanket of clouds, reaching towards the dimly lit afternoon sky. The sun hung overhead, casting shadows of the fragmented land in the billowing vapors.

"Where are we?" Steven asked confusedly. Before Ulexite had a chance to answer, a piercing noise echoed from above the group. Intrigued by the noise, the merciless alien jumped onto the floating island above her. Looking around Steven identified the source of the noise. A single white goat sat on a rock, surrounded by countless kids as they frolicked casually about the rocky cliff. The carefree animal sat down, looking over the group blankly.

"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

"Steven Junior?" Steven asked, surprised to see the familiar goat. Realization sparked in his mind, and he looked up at his captor.

"So, we're at the…"

"…Sky Spire," Ulexite finished, preoccupied with the harrowing terrain. The nimble gem hopped between the floating landmasses towards a destination only she could fathom.

"Why are we here?" Steven queried as he gazed about the ethereal biome.

"I wanted to kill you somewhere quiet," his captor responded calmly. "I had originally intended to finish you off on the cliff. However, our struggle had attracted the attention of several residents, including your father and pet. While I would have taken immense joy in eliminating them, I have everything I came to this planet for. I would simply like to complete my mission and leave this desolate rock. So I decided to take you to a location where I would not be impeded."

"So, you're just going to kill us?" Steven asked.

"Ideally," Ulexite answered. "You see, I serve one of the leaders on Homeworld…"

"Is it Yellow Diamond?" Steven interjected inquisitively.

"Why, yes," the vile gem replied, somewhat surprised by his question. "Do you know of her?"

"I met a gem named Peridot who knew her," he answered. "She told me that Yellow Diamond is really powerful."

"You knew Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG?" Ulexite asked with apparent amusement. "I encountered her not long before this."

"Where is she?" Steven inquired quietly.

"Half of her gem is with me," the murderous alien explained. "The other half of her is in a forest somewhere on this planet."

"Y-you…" the terrified boy stuttered.

"I was under orders to eliminate her if I encountered her, and bring back evidence if possible," Ulexite stated. "While she may have attempted to redeem herself in the eyes of the Diamonds, her defection was unacceptable. Yellow Diamond insisted that she be dealt with." Steven shuddered and quickly changed the subject.

"Are…are there any other Ulexites?" he asked nervously.

"There were…" His captor replied tersely. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the gleaming black gem weapon and handed it to Steven. "…until they made this."

"This destroyed the other Ulexites?" he asked, turning over the dark, spiky bubbled stone.

"This _is_ the other Ulexites," the assassin explained. "After we were created, we were deemed to be worthless as living gems. Several gem scientists conceived that our psychic abilities could be weaponized, and nearly every Ulexite was harvested to create this stone. I was only spared because Yellow Diamond wanted me as a servant. She felt it elevated her status." Ulexite looked down at Steven, who was gazing intently at the alluring black crystal.

"What does it do?" he asked, enthralled by the otherworldly device.

"It's a thought-bomb," Ulexite said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Any being caught within its blast radius will be put under its influence, and obey the orders programmed into it. With the number of Ulexites used to make this, it has the strength to control an entire planet. However, the scientists who created the weapon failed to realize that it can only be programmed by a gem with psychic abilities. Thus, I am the only living gem that can utilize it."

"But why do you want to use it on…" Steven began. His question was interrupted as Ulexite threw him roughly to the ground. Looking around, Steven found himself on a large, flat stone platform. The disturbed boy watched as Ulexite quickly shapeshifted back to her original form and retrieved the gem weapon.

"Now," the assassin said as she summoned her knife. "It's time for me to end you." Without warning she surged forward, her blade bared violently. Steven shut his eyes tightly and put up his hands in self-defense, waiting for the final blow. A loud roar rang out, and a crash echoed from his left. Opening his eyes, the young gem found Lion standing before him, glaring over at Ulexite, who was lying in a pile of fallen rocks.

"Lion!" Steven exclaimed as he stood and jogged over to his companion. "You came for me!" With a growl of acknowledgement, the pink guardian knelt down, and the pommel of Rose's sword emerged from his mane. The young boy drew the weapon without hesitation and summoned his shield once more. He quickly scanned the area in an attempt to locate Connie. Locating her a short distance away, he ran over to his fallen friend and helped her up.

"Connie!" Steven exclaimed worriedly, handing her his mother's sword. "Are you alright?"

"Um…yeah," she responded hesitantly as she tried to clear her head. "I think I'll be okay."

"We need to get out of here!" the half-gem yelled frantically. He led her over to Lion and the duo hastily mounted the noble creature. As the massive cat was about to dash away, Ulexite crashed into the two panicked children, sending them and the sword sprawling onto the stone.

"Where do you think you're going?" the malevolent gem hissed. Turning to Connie, the assassin lunged across the stone battleground.

With no time to grab her weapon, Connie quickly rolled to her left. Ulexite's knife plunged into the stone where her head had been mere moments ago, sending dust and rocks flying. Utilizing the window of opportunity, Connie crawled over and retrieved the sword. Turning around, she swung the massive saber, interrupting an attack by the agile cutthroat. Ulexite jumped back in an attempt to regain her balance. Just as she landed, Lion loosed a massive roar, knocking her to the ground.

Surprised by the positive turn of events, Steven ran over to his friend and helped her to her feet once more.

"How do we get out of here?" Connie asked, utterly terrified by the deadly assailant.

"Maybe we can daze her with our weapons," the brave half-gem suggested.

"How could we beat her?" Connie cried hysterically. "She's way too strong!"

"We just need to get to Lion," Steven asserted. "Then we can escape!"

"O-okay," Connie replied.

With a nod, the duo quickly charged at the gem infiltrator, who was busy evading Lion's attacks. Preoccupied by the magical cat, Ulexite barely managed to dodge a wide slash from Connie's sword. Lion rushed at the evil assailant, his claws bared menacingly. Twirling in midair, she succeeded in avoiding the large guardian, but found it impossible to maneuver away from Steven, who had managed to close the distance between them. The desperate boy swung his shield with all his might, slamming it into his captor's face. Ulexite crashed into the floor. Quickly recovering, she stood and turned to find Steven and Connie quickly bearing down on her. She dodged the duo with remarkable alacrity, but failed to spot an attack by Lion from behind. The force of the blow sent her sprawling across the stone. Not waiting for their enemy to recover, Steven and Connie quickly dashed over to Lion and climbed onto his back.

"Let's go!" Steven yelled, his breathing erratic. At his command, Lion roared once more, creating a warp. Seeing her objective about to escape, Ulexite immediately jumped to her feet. She summoned her knife and watched Lion surge towards the portal. As the pink cat leapt into the swirling warp, the assassin threw her knife with extraordinary force. The weapon lodged in Steven's shoulder, knocking him off Lion just as the magical guardian disappeared into the portal with Connie. Not hesitating, the vile gem dashed over to Steven, pinned him to the ground, and violently retrieved her weapon.

"That went exactly according to plan," she bragged as Steven clutched his wounded shoulder. "You two honestly thought I was _losing_? I just wanted your friend and pet to warp away. Now it's just us. And it will be just me by the time they come back."

Before Steven could react, the merciless assassin swung her knife down, cracking his gem. Steven tried desperately to summon his shield, only for Ulexite to lift the knife and strike him again and again. She watched as Steven slowly rolled onto his stomach and tried to crawl away with what little strength he had left. With a sick smile, the abominable alien adjusted her grip on her weapon and unleashed a barrage of vicious strikes, each one tearing into her victim. Satisfied, Ulexite stood and examined her grisly handiwork. Her grin stretched wider as she watched the wounded child curl up on the ground, twitching and gasping for breath. She adjusted her grip on the knife once more.

The final stroke was an act of mercy.

* * *

A word from the author:

Hi, everyone!

I just wanted to remind everyone to put their tissues and weapons down and please make sure you vote on whether or not this series should continue. I'd really appreciate if you could take the time to provide feedback through the poll on my profile page review or personal message, as I take it very seriously. Thank you!

-Lotus


	20. All That's Left

All That's Left

A small cloud of dust whipped up around Lion's feet as he emerged from the magical portal and slid across the floating stone platform. His claws gained a grip on the ground, and he quickly crouched low, surveying the area for any sign of danger. Perched atop his back, Connie craned her neck as she searched for Steven. She let out a short breath and dismounted her magical mount, wincing as she put pressure on her injured leg. With Rose's sword bared, the young girl took a step forward and whirled about.

"Do you think she's still around here?" Connie asked her feline guardian. Lion snorted and let out a low growl. Sensing his discomfort, Connie lowered her stance and began to slowly retreat towards the edge of the platform. Lion kept by her side, poised to attack.

"We need to find Steven," Connie stated. "Before Ulexite finds us." Without acknowledging her concern, Lion padded over to the other end of the platform and began to search for any sign of his half-gem companion. A strong breeze blew past, causing Connie's hair to whip up into her face. Clearing her field of vision, she found herself transfixed by the endless sea of clouds below. As the white wisps whirled and danced in the wind, recent events clouded the worried girl's mind.

The brutal encounter with Ulexite had rushed by in a frenzy of violence; even now, Connie felt as if it had all been a dream. The merciless assassin had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and taken her hostage. The whole situation had been both painful and traumatic for the young girl. She couldn't help but feel responsible…

A loud growl emanated from behind Connie, and she turned about with her sword pointed threateningly. She found the pink guardian at the other end of the platform, his gaze fixed on the ground. Connie quickly walked over to her magical ally; what she found made her stomach churn.

Countless deep cuts and crevices riddled the crimson-stained stone. In the middle of the horrifying scene lay a single piece of salmon-colored cloth. Apprehension swelling in her chest, Connie picked up the fabric and turned it over. She found the point of a star emblazoned on the front. Her resolve finally broke, and tears came unbidden to her eyes. Connie fell to her knees, her attention captured by the torn fabric in her hands. A single thought reverberated in her agonized mind.

 _This is all your fault._

She felt something press against her neck, and turned to find gazing at her forlornly. A miserable whine escaped the feline guardian, and Connie placed her hand on his muzzle.

"I know," she said sadly. "I know…" After a moment of silence, Connie once again got on Lion's back.

"It's not safe here," she continued, wiping her eyes, "and my parents are probably worried sick about me. Let's go." A snort of affirmation came from her noble mount, and the pair warped away from the Sky Spire.

 _A short while later…_

"How could I let this happen?" Priyanka Maheswaran cried as she tended to her daughter's myriad injuries.

"It's not your fault, mom," Connie retorted quietly. Her mother applied disinfectant to a cut on her cheek causing her to wince.

"You shouldn't have run off like that," the worried doctor reprimanded. "We had no idea where you were. When you didn't come back, your father and I almost lost our minds."

"Sorry mom," her daughter said, her mind clearly elsewhere. "The gem captured me. I tried to escape, but she…did this."

"If this is what happens when you hang out with Steven," Priyanka commented as she applied gauze to a large cut, "I don't think I want you around him anymore." Much to her surprise, Connie offered no reply to her concern. Her daughter merely stared down at the floor, a mournful grimace plastered on her face.

"Is he okay?" Connie's expression darkened.

"…No…" the injured girl answered grimly.

"…I'm sorry, sweetheart," her mother consoled sadly. Putting down her medical supplies, she wrapped Connie in a hug, which she slowly returned. The worried doctor said nothing as her injured daughter cried into her shoulder. She tightened her embrace, vainly trying to shield the traumatized girl from the cruelties of the world. After a long while, Connie calmed down, and her mother returned to patching her up.

"What about this 'Ulexite' gem?" Priyanka asked. "Is she gone?"

Once again, Connie failed to answer. She wondered where the assassin had gone.

 _Elsewhere…_

Yellow Diamond absent mindedly sifted through the information illuminated on the screen before her, taking mental note of key data as she quickly sorted through incoming reports. Nothing interesting had occurred in some time, and the monotony of life on Homeworld had begun to wear on her. Tearing her attention from the display, she watched as a small blue gem walked up to her, manipulating a hologram.

"My diamond," the small gem stuttered.

"Yes?" the imposing tyrant replied.

"The Peridot you sent reported back. She successfully completed repairs on the communication hub, and is awaiting further instructions."

"Good," Yellow Diamond commented calmly. "Tell her to affect repairs on the galaxy warp in the same facet. Then order her to return to Homeworld. She will receive her next assignment upon her return."

"Yes, my diamond," the blue supervisor commented. She bowed slightly before scurrying out of the control room. With a sigh, the mighty ruler returned to her data. Her task proceeded in uninterrupted silence until a light began to flash on the panel beside her.

"A transmission," she stated nonchalantly. "Pearl, answer it."

"Yes, my Diamond," her meager servant replied. The short gem hurried over to a panel a short distance away and quickly touched a holographic screen.

"This is the Yellow Diamond control room," she greeted monotonously. "Identify your…you…" Yellow Diamond looked over at her Pearl, watching as fear spread across her face.

"I…but…you…don't exist…" the yellow gem stuttered as she shrunk away from the screen.

"I assure you, I am very much real," the voice on the other end of the line commented politely. "Now, connect me to Yellow Diamond and leave before I make you rip out your own gem."

"No…you can't…" the yellow Pearl blubbered in a pointless attempt to sound imposing. Without hesitating, Yellow Diamond reached over, grabbed the holographic screen, and lifted it to her eye level.

"I'll handle this, Pearl," she stated tersely.

"But, my Diamond…" the meager Pearl began.

"Leave," she ordered harshly. Without another word, the servant scampered out of the room. Satisfied that she was alone, Yellow Diamond turned her attention to the pale, blank-eyed gem in the hologram.

"Ulexite," she greeted.

"Hello Yellow," the assassin replied with a warm smile.

"Why have you contacted me?" the imposing gem leader questioned.

"I wanted to report on the status of my mission," UIexite answered.

"And?" Yellow Diamond urged.

"I encountered and observed the rebel group. Apparently, Rose had surrendered her physical form to create a human-gem hybrid by reproducing with a human. The result called itself 'Steven', and wielded Rose's powers, albeit less artfully than Rose herself. I managed to eliminate both the hybrid and the remaining rebel gems. Any further resistance should be fairly inconsequential.

"Well done, Ulexite," Yellow Diamond commended.

"What is the status of the invasion fleet?" Ulexite asked calmly.

"They will land on the Earth's surface shortly," the gem ruler explained. "If your report is accurate, then we should be able to wipe out the humans quickly." The massive tyrant brought up a holographic screen and input a command into her console. "Do you have anything else to report?" she asked.

"Yes," the deadly infiltrator replied. Releasing her screen, Yellow Diamond turned her attention to the assassin once more.

"I must regretfully in form you," Ulexite began, "that your reign has come to an end."

"Excuse me?" Yellow Diamond questioned, a note of anger in her voice.

"You heard me," her vile subordinate retorted with dark delight. "As of now, you and the other diamonds no longer rule Homeworld." The powerful gem stood and lifted the holographic screen, utterly shocked by the white impersonator's assertion.

"What are you talking about?" Yellow Diamond queried angrily.

"While I was on Earth, I found something very interesting," Ulexite stated, a sick smile stretching across her features with each venomous word. "Something from the war you might recognize." Yellow Diamond sat silently, perplexed and intrigued by the assassin's words." Suddenly, Ulexite's expression grew solemn.

"Remember the other Ulexites?" the deadly impersonator asked. Yellow Diamond's eyes widened as she realized what her vile servant meant.

"You didn't…" she began.

"I did," Ulexite countered. "It's a shame you discarded the bomb as a failed project. Especially after you killed all of my kind to make it. It truly is an elegant weapon."

"You impudent, traitorous, worthless excuse for a gem!" Yellow Diamond screamed. She brought the screen close to her face, staring daggers at the gem assassin before her. "You dare oppose me! I saved you! Without me, you would be nothing!"

"I _am_ nothing," Ulexite said. "And in a few seconds, you'll be nothing, too."

"I will find you," the gem tyrant threatened. "And when I do, you'll pay!"

"I'm sure I won't" her vile subordinate retorted. "Goodbye, my diamond. Oh, and you know…" Ulexite smiled one last time, her eyes shining with unholy malice. "…you should have killed me when you had the chance."

Suddenly, a large shockwave rocked the control room, cutting out the transmission. Yellow Diamond stood, but quickly lost her balance as a wave of disjointed thoughts flooded into her mind and unrecognizable voices began to cry out in her mind. Clutching her head, the gem leader stumbled back. Her struggle seemed to exacerbate the voices, and they quickly grew into a macabre chorus, consuming the gem ruler's thoughts in an incomprehensible flurry of madness. The imposing tyrant let out a cry and fell to her knees. From the recesses of her mind, a single voice pierced the cacophony, beckoning her to a singular purpose.

 _Break all gems._

* * *

 _A word from the author:_

Hello once again! At last this story has come to a close. However, by popular demand, I will be continuing the storyline! The poll is still open for anyone who would like to vote. The new story should be coming out in a short while. Feel free to follow me if you want to be notified when the story is released. Thank you again to all my awesome readers, and a special thanks to anyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited!

-Lotus


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